The Gryffindor turned Slytherin
by Zelkina Phoenix
Summary: When her Uncle is murdered before her, Vicky turns to the only person she knows can help. Draco Malfoy. OCDM RWHG R
1. The Gryffindor turned Slytherin

The Gryffindor Turned Slytherin

Chapter One. An Uncle's Sacrifice

"No!" Vicky screamed as she watched the now lifeless figure of her uncle fall to the kitchen floor. The sound of maniacal laughter came from behind her.

"He's dead girl. But don't worry, you'll soon join him. You won't be apart for long." Vicky couldn't see the smirk of the black-robed figure; the one who thought he had triumphed under the white mask.

"Like hell I will! Avada Kedavra!" she yelled. The green light flashed through him, catching him off guard. He slumped to the floor, now as lifeless as her uncle.

"Uncle Mark, please wake up…please. He didn't use Avada Kedavra, he used something else, please wake up," she begged of the corpse. There was a loud crack from behind her as someone Apparated into her kitchen.

"Vicky, what happened?" asked the voice.

"He's dead, Draco. My uncle is dead." Vicky closed her uncle's eyes. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder as another crack, and then another, sounded behind her in the kitchen. She barely noticed the new people in her house as Draco led her into the sitting room.

"I'm so sorry Vicky. I really am," he said, putting an arm round her shoulders. Vicky felt tears brimming in her eyes. Then suddenly, they were falling, thick and fast, as she cried. Draco held her. Vicky's head on his shoulder as she sobbed, wishing he knew what to do or what to say to ease her pain. But having never lost a parent or guardian, he had no idea what to say, or even how to say it.

"It's ok, Vicky. You have me," he said in as soothing a voice as he could manage.

It was some time before Vicky managed to cry herself out, although Draco knew she would need him more than ever in the next few days. Vicky pulled away from Draco and began to mop her tears up before she spoke.

"Where am I going to go now Draco? He was the only family I had left!" Vicky wiped her eyes on her robes and looked up desperately at Draco.

"Well, I'll put you up at the Leaky Cauldron for the rest of the holidays. I would invite you to stay at Malfoy Manor, but Mum is in a disagreeable mood because I won't do something she and dad want me to. In fact, I think I might join you. I could do with getting out of that place for a while. Let me go and talk to Professor Lupin. He's just Apparated in your kitchen, along with Arthur Weasley." This second name, Draco said with a bit of a sneer. "I have nothing against the Weasleys--it's just that, well, Ron rubs me up the wrong way sometimes, if you know what I mean. Now why don't you go upstairs and get packed?" He began walking towards the door.

"Draco," Vicky said, making him pause with his hand on the door. He turned his head towards her. "Thank you." He smiled at her and walked out. Vicky did what she was asked and ran to her room, throwing everything--clothes, books, quills, parchment and ink--into her trunk. And then, finally, a picture of her and Draco standing with her Uncle. She placed this right at the top before closing the lid. Draco came in just as she finished.

"Ready? Oh, you have a fireplace in your room! Excellent!" he said, and took some Floo powder out of the terracotta pot on the top. He threw it into the fire, and as the flames flared up and changed to emerald green, he beckoned her forwards.

"I'll meet you there, I have a few things to get from home," he said.

Vicky nodded, and stepped in to the fire saying, "Diagon Alley!"

She landed with a thump in the Leaky Cauldron, dragging her trunk out of the way of the fire. She didn't have a broom; her uncle had always insisted that she did not need one. She walked over to the bar where Tom, the landlord, was cleaning up.

"Hello Tom!" she said in a horrible, falsely cheerful voice.

"Hello Miss Tupper. Not with Mr Malfoy today?" he asked, getting her a Butterbeer. He had a soft spot for Vicky, having known her since she was just a little girl.

"He's on his way. I don't know how long he will be," she replied.

Vicky dug into her pockets as Tom poured a second one for Draco, who had just arrived.

"Now Miss, you knows I can't accept gold from a family friend," he said, waving the two Galleons away.

"Bless you Tom. Do you have a room for the two of us, until September the first?" she asked. He scratched his head.

"Well, I have a room with a double bed, but other than that, nothing I'm afraid. Young Harry Potter took up the last bed, Miss. How is your uncle anyway?" he asked. Vicky barely concealed a sob.

"He's dead Tom," said Malfoy, shaking his head sadly. "It happened only about an hour and a half ago. A Death Eater murdered him. But we'll take the room. We can work something out about the bed." Tom bowed his head, and then turned back towards Vicky.

"I'm so very sorry to hear that Miss. I truly am. Let me take your trunks up to your room. Dinner's about to start, so make yourself comfortable." He waved his wand and cast the feather light charm, followed by a locomotive charm on their trucks. Vicky and Draco sat at one of the tables as Vicky fought to control the sudden spurt of tears that had appeared at the mention of her uncle's name.

"Draco, when do the Hogwarts letters arrive? I mean we have two weeks left; they should be here by now." Draco looked at the window and smiled.

"Just about now," he said, opening the window. Two large barn owls landed on her table, another soared up the stairs. Vicky tore hers open. This year they would contain her O.W.L. exam results. Vicky pulled out the usual things--results, a subject list, the usual start of term reminder, and an equipment list. Then she noticed an extra two letters.

"My god, Outstanding in everything! Even Potions!" Vicky said, jumping up and down in her seat excitedly.

"Me too!" Draco said, amazed. His eyes fell on the two extra letters. He picked up the first one and read it, as did Vicky.

_Dear Miss Tupper._

_Sixth and Seventh years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade after school hours and on weekends throughout the year. Please get a parent, guardian, or family friend to sign and return the attached form._

_I…………… hereby give Victoria Anne Tupper permission to visit the town of Hogsmeade after school hours and during the weekends throughout the year._

_Yours Sincerely_

_M. McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress._

"Wow, we can go to Hogsmeade!" said Draco. "Oh, wait there's no way Mum is going to sign it," Draco said, disheartened.

"What about Tom, He's your family friend isn't he?" Vicky asked. "He's the only person who can sign mine. Now what's this other letter?" she asked absentmindedly as she began to read.

_Dear Miss Tupper._

_It gives me great pleasure to announce that you are one of four Gryffindor Prefects. You are allowed to distribute punishments, deduct and add points, as well as give out detentions. You will also be required once a week to do night duty, which involves patrolling the corridors, and at Christmas and Halloween you will be required to help with school decorations. Tap the golden P below with your wand to retrieve your Prefects Badge. Please report to the prefect's carriage on the Hogwarts Express for instructions for the journey. Congratulations!_

_Yours Sincerely_

_Albus Dumbledore._

"Prefect!" Vicky gasped. She tapped the golden P, and with a pop, a badge appeared.

"You got it too?" he asked. Vicky nodded, as Tom came in followed by Harry Potter. Tom placed two dishes in front of Vicky and Draco. Draco met Harry's eyes across the room, and they scowled at each other. Why did he have to be staying here right now, thought Draco.

"Chicken and Mushroom Pie! Tom, how did you know it was our favourite!" Draco exclaimed.

"You don't watch you two come in here every day of every holiday and not learn something," he chuckled. "Hello, what's this?" he asked and picked up Vicky and Draco's Hogsmeade forms. "Can't have you two not going can we?" he said, and conjured up a quill, with which he signed both forms.

"Tom, you are an angel in disguise!" Vicky said gratefully. Tom beamed, and walked out of the room. Vicky began to wipe her eyes again which were full of tears. This small gesture was something her uncle should have done for her.

"You two are so damn lucky I can't use magic out of school," said Harry, beginning his own dinner.

"Fuck off Potter. You couldn't spell yourself out of a wet paper bag," said Draco. Vicky looked up, her eyes full of tears again.

"You!" she snarled at Harry, taking Draco by surprise. "Why can't you just crawl under a rock and die? It would do everyone a favour!" I don't care that I'm venting my anger at Uncle Mark's death on him, it's making me feel better, she thought.

"Suddenly I've lost my appetite," said Harry, pushing his plate away from him and storming off upstairs.

That night, Vicky and Draco decided to share the bed. The room was nice--it had a shower, but there was no way either of them could sleep on the hard floor. So they shared the bed, each keeping to one side.

Draco woke in the middle of the night to find Vicky lying in his arms. "How on earth did she get there?" he asked himself. "Not that I don't mind having her here, but what will the school say if they find out? Scratch that, what would father say?" Draco smiled. He knew damn well his father would be furious. He fell back to sleep, dreaming that he and Vicky had gotten married, and that his parents were so furious they had died of heart attacks caused by anger, and left him the entire estate; left himself and Vicky living happily in the huge mansion.

"Morning Vicky," Draco said, as they awoke the next morning, still in each other's arms.

"Morning Draco. Um, why am I in your arms?" she asked, puzzled. She sat up, her long t-shirt not doing much to cover her.

"I have no idea. I woke up in the middle of the night and there you were. I fell back asleep. We might as well get up. Do you want the shower first or shall I?" he asked.

"You can, I don't mind," she replied, and untangled her feet from the duvet as he walked in to the bathroom.

"Well, hello tiger!" Vicky purred jokingly as Draco returned. He had a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was wet and messy and his torso bare.

"Behave yourself!" He laughed as she walked past him to use the shower herself. He was used to her making comments like that, usually within hearing distance of that troll, Pansy Parkinson. What it was going to take to get rid of her, he did not know. He went over to the mirror to sort out his hair and check that he didn't need to have a shave. He had been cursed with a certain Malfoy trait, which was that when puberty hit, it hit hard, and it was several weeks before he managed to control the sudden spurts of facial hair.

He could hear Vicky singing to herself in the shower. It sounded like one of the Weird Sisters' tunes; possibly "Just Because I Love A Muggle." Draco ran a comb through his hair, then decided that he couldn't be bothered to gel it.

He heard the sounds of a hair dryer coming from the other room. Looking round the door, he saw Vicky dressed in a Slytherin Green robe, looking suspiciously like one he'd bought her for Christmas two years earlier. He saw her flip her hair back (she had been drying it hanging over her face) and it fell in glorious waves of blonde down her back. Draco sighed in pleasure at the sight, and then checked himself. What was he doing? She was his best friend. Feelings like that could damage their friendship. He wasn't going to risk loosing the only real friend he had, even if she was a Gryffindor. But, he reasoned, that had not mattered with her.

Ever since that first Potions class, where Snape had called Potter the new celebrity in school, and she had responded with "Yeah, and a butt ugly one at that," they had been firm friends. He watched as she brushed her bushy hair to make it less wild.

"You look great in that robe, you know," he said, still shirtless. Vicky turned her back to him as he pulled the towel from his waist.

"And you look great without one," she teased, chancing a look around to see him doing up a pair of trousers.

"Why, thank you," he said, flexing his muscles.

"I wonder what people will say when they see me in Slytherin colours, knowing I'm a Gryffindor. The Golden Trio will have a fit!" She laughed as Draco pulled on a jumper. He smiled an evil smile, which Vicky knew meant that one of his schemes was forming.

"I have an idea that will, with luck, make Potter's blood boil," he said as they made their way down for breakfast. The room was mostly empty, and they managed o find a seat close to the fire.

"What's worse than a Gryffindor being friends with a Slytherin?" he asked.

"A Gryffindor being in a relationship with a Slytherin," Vicky answered, listening with interest. She loved to wind up Potter more than anything, which was a strict no-no for a Gryffindor. To do so would be a very brave thing indeed, which was perhaps why she was a Gryffindor in the first place.

"Exactly. Now what I'm suggesting is this. You and I pretend to be a couple. Not only will this piss off Potter, but it will also get that troll Parkinson off my back. All the Slytherin lads know that Crabbe and Goyle have been shipped off to wherever it was, and would love to join in."

"Hang on, shipped off to where? You never told me about this," said Vicky, as they seated themselves and were given a large pot of tea. Harry was scowling at them from the other side of the room again, and Vicky stuck her middle finger up at him.

"Oh, didn't you know? Their parent's shipped them off to another school. I doubt it was Durumstrang, though. From what I heard they were too thick to pass the entry exam. So it's, Theo, Blaise and myself in the dorms this year. Anyway, as I was saying. …" He lowered his voice a little to ensure that Harry couldn't hear. "They can back us up, and I can personally say that you would be welcome any time in the common room. Parkinson might not like it, but I'm sure the rest of the girls will. And I happen to know some of the second years admire and respect you. Well, a Gryffindor wanting nothing to do with Harry Potter is a remarkable thing. So, what do you think?" he asked. Vicky smiled a calculating smile. There was a clattering of a spoon in a bowl from the other side of the room, and the sound of a chair being pushed back over flagstones.

"Why Draco, darling, I think that it is a wonderful idea," Vicky said, casting her eyes in the direction of Harry, who walked straight out of the door, giving Vicky a look of pure disgust.


	2. The Gryffindor turned Slytherin: Chapter...

Chapter 2: The first encounter

**Chapter Two: The first encounter**

"So no owl, no broom. That's a right shame, that is," Draco said as Vicky stood looking through the window of Eyelops Owl Emporium.

"I know. Uncle Mark only had enough money to get some robes and books for me each year. Look at that one, he's beautiful," Vicky said, pointing at a dazzling grey owl with a snaking white line down his back.

"He's an odd looking one though, isn't he? Mind you, I've heard odd looking owls deserve even odder names," he said as they walked down to Gringotts.

"Yes but come on, no one's going to name their owl after someone in A History of Magic, like Potter did. But I saw a name in one of the books I managed to get out of the restricted section, after a note from your head of house. I might as well be an honorary Slytherin, honestly. But anyway, I thought if I ever got an owl, I'd name it Zelkin. What do you think?" she asked as they climbed the steps and were bowed through the doors.

"That is a brilliant name. What book was it?" he asked, standing in the queue that had formed.

"Most Potente Potions. Strange though--the bit that should have contained the Polyjuice Potion was missing. It looked like it had been torn out. Either that or the pages were stuck together. Whatever it was, I couldn't prise them apart without ripping them."

"Very odd. Pince would have murdered whoever did that!" Draco said as they moved closer to the counter. They chatted like this for some time until they finally reached the counter.

" How may I help?" asked the goblin standing behind the counter.

"I would like to withdraw some money from my own personal vault. Are the weekly payments still in place?" he asked. The goblin nodded.

"They are, and under your Grandfathers instructions, shall not be altered unless you wish it so. The weekly payment currently stands at one hundred galleons a week. Are you to visit the young lady's vault too?" he inquired.

"Yes, although I doubt there will be much in there. From what I remember, the vault was nearly empty last time," Vicky said with a sad voice.

The goblin beckoned to another goblin waiting. "Ferrous! Vaults 710, and 7," he said. Ferrous nodded, walking off, as Vicky and Draco followed.

They got in to a small cart, which strongly reminded her of a film she had seen at her Muggle grandmother's place once. She only hoped she lived in this cart. The cart sped off, travelling quickly through twists and turns, sharp corners and over underground lakes; past caverns filled with fire and some so deep they couldn't see the bottom. They heard a loud roar as they passed over one cavern, and looked down to see a Ukrainian Ironbelly staring up at them with wistful eyes. Vicky and Draco looked at each other and gulped.

"We just saw a dragon!" she gasped, as the cart slowed to a halt outside her vault.

"I know!" Draco replied, helping her out of the cart. Vicky passed her key to to the goblin. Inside were three Galleons, two Sickles and a Knut--all that Vicky had.. Vicky sighed and put it in her pocket.

"Second hand shop again this year," she said sadly. Draco walked up to his own vault, opened it, and began to take out as much as he could--filling his pockets and his money bag. Shutting the vault, he went back to Vicky, and held his hand out.

"Give me your money bag," he said. Vicky handed it over.

"Draco, what are you doing?" Vicky gasped, as he emptied everything he had put in his pockets into her money bag.

"Consider it a repayment of all the things you've done for me over the past year," he said, walking back to his vault and locking it. They got in the cart, and made their way back to the main lobby of the bank.

"Draco, I love you!" Vicky said, after giving him a nudge that made him notice that Pansy Parkinson was standing on the steps as they passed.

"Hold my hand!" she hissed under her breath to him. He did as she said.

"Draco!" Pansy cried. Vicky whispered something in Draco's ear as she came over, and he smiled at Pansy.

"Pansy my dear, how are you? I trust you're feeling better?" he asked. Pansy stopped short, wondering what he was talking about.

"Better?" she asked.

"Oh we were ever so worried! I mean, whatever made you want to try it in the first place?" Vicky said, giving Draco's hand a squeeze, one that would surely be noticed by Pansy.

"Worried? About what?" Pansy said.

"Didn't I tell you Vicky, denial is the first sign," he said, shaking his head.

"What are you talking about Draco?" Pansy asked.

"You mean to say you aren't taking them anymore? Why that's excellent news Pansy!" Draco cried, beaming. Vicky bit her tongue to stop herself from laughing.

"Taking what, Draco?" she asked again.

"Why, those nasty Muggle narcotics of course! It was heroin, I think that's what they call it. That's what we saw you sterilising the needle for, wasn't it?" asked Vicky as she delivered the killer blow. Several people around looked at Pansy in disgust; one woman pulled her children away from the three teenagers.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Pansy said, enraged.

"Dear me Vicky, It looks like we should be going. I have to buy you that new dress, don't I? Good bye Pansy, see you at Hogwarts!" Draco said cheerily as they walked round the corner and down a side alley, where hidden from view they laughed until their sides were sore.

"Oh Merlin! I haven't laughed that much since you put that trip jinx on Potter last year!" Vicky said, holding her sides. Draco was propped up on a bench, also holding his sides.

"Well, if she hated you enough to dislike you, I'd say you were on the troll's death list now!" Draco said, barely concealing his own laughter. He helped Vicky up from the ground. "Come on, Tupper, we have books to get, and I need more Potion ingredients, seeing as someone took my last ounce of powdered Grindylow knuckles," he said in a mockingly accusatory tone of voice. Vicky curtsied before him.

"I'm sorry, Lord Malfoy, but I couldn't get a detention! I'm the one who is supposed to know everything!" she said, doing an uncanny impersonation of Hermione Granger. Draco laughed again, and pulled her arm, saying,

"Come on idiot. We have two weeks to fill full of games and mickey taking, so let's not use it all up on the first day! Besides, there's a Muggle sweet shop here now, it has those Sherbet Lemons hat Dumbledore is always on about. I really want to try them."

Later that day, when they had bought all of their books and were making their way towards the Apothecary to get their Potions supplies, The Golden Trio showed their faces.

"Draco, there they are! Let's let them make the first move. That way, they are at fault if something were to…er…escalate." Vicky whispered as they drew level with Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. The Trio weren't looking their way, yet.

"Fancy an ice cream sundae, honey?" he asked.

"Why I was thinking that same thing babes!" Vicky replied. The three heads swivelled round as a waiter came out and asked what they wanted.

"That's got their attention," said Draco.

"Harry doesn't seem convinced. Either that or he just looks like Crabbe and Goyle rolled into to one," Vicky murmured.

Draco barely concealed a snort of laughter. 'But she's right', he thought, looking at them out of the corner of his eye as their milkshakes and ice creams arrived.

"Vicky, they aren't convinced. We have to do something drastic, to make it seem real. Parkinson was easy enough to fool, but Potter and Co., they have a few more brains than that concussed troll," he said in a low voice.

"Like what? What else do couples do besides look in love, hold hands and…" Vicky stopped short. Draco seemed to have come to the same conclusion.

"I know you probably don't want to kiss me," he said, " but the success of our plan depends on it."

"There's one thing, Draco. It's not that I don't find you attractive, because I do, but…" Vicky ducked her head, and the mass of blonde covered her face. Draco hated her doing that; it always threw him off guard.

"What is it?" he asked. Hang on a second; did she just say she found him attractive?

"I've never been kissed before," she said, her eyes peering through the curtain of blonde.

"Never? Didn't you go out with Blaise?" Draco asked. Vicky shook her head.

"No. He kept asking, but I told him last year that if he didn't leave me alone I'd hex his nose off his face, and he kinda backed off. But I've never had a boyfriend either. No one from Gryffindor touches me with a barge pole. And all the others assume I have eyes for you and only you."

"You're kidding. Okay, I don't want to be pushy, but we're going to have to do it, the Golden Trio keep looking over at us. Ready?" he asked.

"Ready."

"I'll make it as nice as possible, I swear," he said smiling, leaning closer to her. He felt his lips meet hers; he tasted the sweetness of her mouth as he let his tongue explore. She responded, and to her surprise actually found it quite enjoyable, and was disappointed when he broke away.

"If you're good, you might get some more later," he teased. Vicky giggled.

"Thanks," she said, her voice husky and low. She cleared her throat. "I think it worked. Granger is staring at us as if we had just announced we were related. Potter and Weasley look like they've been slapped with a cold fish," she said. She took a sip of her milkshake as Draco looked behind him, smiled at them, and waved, which Vicky did promptly afterwards. Then, laughing, he left three galleons on the table, and they headed off to the Muggle sweet shop they had spotted earlier.

They had spent a fair amount of money in the sweet shop, having developed a dangerous addiction to sweets called Maltesers, and also the legendary Sherbet Lemons. They had also discovered Chocolate Limes, Barley Sugars and Cadburys Chocolate in about eight varieties. They were sitting on the bed eating the Maltesers, having developed a game of throwing them into the other person's mouth to score.

"I quite like these. We should go into the business of creating crosses of Muggle and wizarding sweets."

Vicky ignored this last statement, as she was thinking about something else that had happened earlier. "Did you see Potter's face when you kissed me? I've never seen him so pissed," Vicky said laughing.

"I know! Anyone would think he fancied you!" Vicky shuddered in disgust.

"I would rather die than be with him. You know, I often think I should have gone for Slytherin instead of Gryffindor. The Sorting Hat gave me a choice. Slytherin or Gryffindor. I wonder what would have happened if I chose Slytherin," she said, opening her mouth so Draco could throw in another Malteser.

"Who knows? We may never have become friends. And I for one would be gutted at that," Draco said, opening his mouth for Vicky to throw one back for him. He was right, Vicky thought as it rebounded off his forehead, and Draco complained that she had no aim. It would have been very different if she had ended up in Slytherin. Perhaps they would never have got to know each other. Maybe if she had gone to Slytherin, she would be like Pansy, drooling over him at every opportunity Vicky shuddered, and was distracted from her thoughts by a bump, and turned to find Draco on the floor, having fallen off the bed trying to get the Malteser that had missed him, and was rubbing his head. It could have been very different, she thought as she helped him up. Very different indeed.


	3. The Gryffindor turned Slytherin: Chapter...

**Chapter Three: Vicky versus Hermione.**

The day before they had to catch the Hogwarts Express, Draco had a surprise for Vicky. He made her close her eyes before she walked in, and kept his hands over them, so that whenever she stopped that would bump in to one another.

"Ready?" he asked, knowing full well the door was open, and Potter would be coming up the stairs any second. Sure enough, footsteps came up, followed by the voices of the Gryffindor Trio.

"Can I open my eyes yet Draco honey?" Vicky said, evidently she had heard them too, and had reacted accordingly.

"Open them!" he said, taking his hands away. Standing on the bed beside its cage (and twelve Cadburys whole nut chocolate bar wrappers) was the stunning grey owl with the white snake like line down its back.

"Zelkin! Oh Draco! How can I ever thank you?" she asked, rushing over to the bird, which had hooted appreciatively at his new name. The Trio had stopped outside the door.

"Slut" Vicky heard Hermione say under her breath. Big mistake, Granger, thought Draco, as Vicky's normally green eyes became the coulor of hard cold steel.

"I'm sorry Granger, but I really can't allow you to down talk yourself like that. Why if you do that its amazing you have as little self confidence as you do around these… how shall I put it…boys?" Vicky said, putting Zelkin in his cage.

"I was calling you a slut, actually." Hermione retorted.

"Leave it, Hermione," said Ron, pulling at her arm, which she shook off.

"Hmm were you? I always thought bookworms had to have things placed in factual form before they make statements. But I seem to be wrong. You just made a statement with no basis, no fact to support it. Loosing your touch aren't you Granger? That's something else books won't help you regain." Vicky said, squaring up to her. Yes, one good smack on the nose and she would be out for the count. Harry's eyes glared at her, as if he was daring her to hit Hermione.

"So. The name fits. The Gryffindor Traitor." Hermione snarled.

"Well, well. What a good nickname don't you agree Draco? (Draco nodded) Zelkin? (Zelkin hooted and bobbed up and down on his perch.) Than you ever so much for that Granger. Although I would have liked to come up with it by myself." Vicky smirked. A hand came out of nowhere, and collided with the side of Vicky's face. Vicky felt dazed for a second, then she realised it was Granger who had dealt the blow.

"Resorting to violence now are we?" Vicky said, taking off the robe Draco had bought her, "Let's see if you can fight after all." Said Vicky, and aimed a punch to Hermione's stomach followed by two to the head. Hermione retaliated by scratching Vicky's face. A shout rang out from down stairs, and a giggle reached the bottom of the stairs.

"This isn't over Granger. Not by a long shot." Vicky said as she slammed the door.

"Hermione! What the hell was wrong with you?" Vicky heard Ron say.

"Are you insane Hermione Granger?" came Harry's voice, quieter now as they had walked down the hall.

"Merlin that cat's got claws!" said Draco, as he filled the washbasin with water and wetted a cloth. "Vicky you're bleeding. Come here." Said Draco, and motioned for Vicky to sit on the bed so he could clean the four long scratch marks on her cheek.

"I'll beat that bitch to a pulp I swear it." Vicky seethed. Zelkin made a hissing sound at the word bitch, and flapped his wings in an irritated manner.

"See, Zelkin knows who to trust and who not to. You can really fight can't you? I'd hate to see you and Granger go properly head to head." He said, washing away the blood.

"The Gryffindor Traitor. They call me that. Oh well, at least I like the sound of it" Vicky sighed, and reached in to the wrappers for another bar of chocolate.

"Come on Draco! We have to get up!" Vicky said, shoving him the next morning. It was seven o'clock, they had to be on the train at eleven, but were aiming for half ten. So they had three and a half hours to get dressed, pack their trunks, something they should have done last night, and find a way to Kings Cross Station.

"What? Oh five more minutes." He groaned and rolled over. Vicky whispered something in his ear that made him jump.

"You look dead sexy with no underwear on you know"

"Vicky! Merlin don't do that!" he shouted, leaping out of bed and checking that he _was_ wearing underwear. Vicky just laughed and began to throw all her things in to her trunk. Draco dressed and did the same thing, before going in to the bathroom, so Vicky could dress. Dragging their trunks down stairs, and Zelkin on her shoulder, Vicky asked Tom for breakfast to go, and he re- appeared ten minutes later with two bags containing some croissants, some crumpets and two bottles each of Butterbeer.

"Thanks Tom. I'll write as usual." She said, as Draco ran upstairs, having forgotten something.

"Enjoy yourself won't you?" he said.

"Yes I will Tom. This year will be different from the rest I'm sure. DRACO HURRY UP!" Vicky yelled up the stairs. He appeared at the bottom of the stairs, flustered.

"Ok, lets go." He said, shocked when his watch revealed it was quarter to ten. They bid a hurried goodbye to Tom, and ran outside, where they flagged down the Knight Bus.

"Good Morning Welcome to the Knight Bus, I'm Stan Shunpike and I'll be your conductor this morning." Said a spotty, scruffy looking lad.

"Two to Kings Cross. Please hurry." Said Draco, as he and Stan pulled on the trunks. Stan issued the tickets, which Draco paid, and they collapsed on a nearby bench.

"I can't wait to get on the train. Peace and quiet." Vicky said wiping her fore head. A small girl smiled nervously at her.

"Hi." Vicky said, noticing the trunk and owl next to her. "First Year?" The girl nodded.

"It's ok Bethany, you can talk dear." Said the man sat next to her.

"Any idea what house you will be in?" asked Draco. The girl shook her head timidly.

"Well, if you join Slytherin, I'll look out for you. Even if it means taking points of my own house. I'm Draco Malfoy, Slytherin Prefect." He said and held out his hand. The girl took it and shook it with a shaky hand. Vicky offered her hand.

"And I'm Vicky Tupper, I'm a Gryffindor Prefect." She said.

"You're in Harry Potter's house aren't you." The girl ventured at last. Her voice, although from a small scared looking girl, was quite firm.

"Yes, although he isn't as goody two shoes as people make out. But don't worry," she said as the bus came to an abrupt halt, "We'll keep an eye out for you, no matter what house you're in. Keep an eye out for us on the train!" Vicky called as Bethany and her dad got off. Vicky and Draco climbed off, dragging trunks towards trolleys, and Vicky put a disgruntled Zelkin in his cage on top.

"It's ok Zelkin, we'll be on the train soon" she whispered, as they made their way towards the secret archway. Leaning against it, they quickly took several steps backwards, and found themselves on the platform. Helping each other, they got their trunks on, and made their way to the Prefects Carriage. Once there, they took a table in the corner of the elegant compartment, and waited for everyone else to turn up.

"Well there's only Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw to worry about. I'm pretty sure Macmillan will get in for Hufflepuff." Said Draco, as the Golden Trio walked in, scowled in their direction, and sat in the far corner.

"Look at Grangers eye!" he whispered. Vicky did so, and saw with a sudden stab of pleasure that her left eye sported a beautiful purple-black bruise. Her hand strayed to her cheek, where the four deep scratches had scabbed over.

"She's probably scarred me for the rest of my life with those scratches." Vicky whispered to Draco as the three remaining Slytherin Prefects came in. Zabini Blaise, Millicent Bullstrode, who Vicky managed to get on with, and Pansy Parkinson, looking mutinous as Draco grabbed Vicky's hand.

"Vicky, where did you get those scratches?" asked Millicent, quietly, as the other eight prefects finally came in, just as the train began to move.

"Granger and I had a run in, Milli. We will do again. I guarantee it." She said, viciously.

"You mean that thing did that to you?" asked Zabini incredulously.

"Yes, But Vicky gave her something to think about. Look at her eyes." Draco whispered to the three. Granger looked up at that moment, causing they five of them to snigger. At that moment, there was a pop, and Professor McGonagall Apparated in front of them.

"Congratulations, new prefects. Here are the things you need to be aware of as new prefects, you have your timetables ahead of the rest of the school, and there is a copy of Mr Filches list of banned items each. Read it through. And now, I will leave you to it. Just patrol the corridors from time to time." She said, glancing suspiciously from the scratches on Vicky's cheek to the bruise around Hermione's eye. With another loud pop, she was gone.

"Finally!" said Millicent. "Here Vicky, I saw this in Knockturn Alley. The ring causes the wearer to have a sixth sense, so to speak, of when people are lying to them and stuff. But it's not doing sod all. Have a look for me won't you?" she said, pulling the ring off her finger and throwing it to Vicky. Vicky ran the tip of her finger over it, inside the band and out, and around the opal on top. Her nail caught on the edge of what seemed to be a small switch, and Vicky flicked it.

"Try now." Vicky said. Millicent put it on.

"Zabini you lying scum, you did eat my pudding at the end of term feast!" she yelled, hitting him. Movement across the compartment caught Vicky's eye.

"Lets get out of here. Certain people are making me ill."

"I do hope that's directed at me Granger." Vicky said, standing.

"Who else would betray their house and ally with the enemy?" she retorted. Vicky stepped forward, as everyone around watched nervously.

"As far as I'm aware, Voldemort is the only enemy I need to worry about. So why don't you and your little friends get. Out. Of. My. face?" Vicky spat, giving Hermione a shove backwards. And that was it. They leapt at each other, grabbing and yelling, punching, kicking, scratching, biting each other.

"SLYTHERIN WHORE"

"WHY DON'T YOU POTTER AND WEASLY FUCK OFF ON ONE OF YOUR YEARLY TROUBLE MAKING TRIPS!" Vicky snarled, punching Hermione hard in the mouth. Suddenly, as the two made to go at each other again, they found themselves being pulled back. The Slytherins had hold of Vicky, even Pansy, and were pulling her back, as Ron, Harry, and two of the Hufflepuff prefects pulled Hermione back. Hermione stood up and swept from the cabin, dragging her trunk with her.

"Big mistake Tupper," snarled Ron, charging after her.

"Up yours Weasly." Vicky said, as Ernie Macmillan conjured a bowl of water and a face cloth.

"Ernie, it'd be great if you didn't mention this to anyone." Said Harry, shooting the rest a look that meant, "That includes all of you" before storming out, dragging both his and Ron's trunks.

"Easy Vicky, you can calm down now." Said Draco, as Vicky was still straining against his and Millicent's grip. She gave up, and sat down.

"Just because she sees Potter as some paradox of all that's good, doesn't mean the rest of us do." She said, as Ernie passed the bowl to Draco. Vicky felt her lip; it was bleeding, which she conjured a second cloth for. Draco cleaned her up, with almost loving care thought Vicky.

"You really need to stop getting in to fights, Vicky, you could loose your badge!" he said in her ear.

"As long as I'm still friends with you, then I don't care. You can take all the points off Gryffindor you want, because I'll just add them to Slytherin." She whispered back.

The rest of the journey was un eventful, at least until Vicky patrolled the corridors with Draco and the rest of the Slytherins, and found two third year Slytherins picking on Bethany, the girl from the Knight Bus.

"You two! What in hells name do you think you are doing!" yelled Draco. The two boys turned cockily towards Vicky and Malfoy.

"What does it look like?" answered one.

"Congratulations boys, you just lost Slytherin house its first points. Five each. And I want a two foot long essay on why bullying is wrong handed in to myself or Vicky by Monday evening, or I'll organise detention with McGonagall!" said Draco. The boys looked gutted, that their own house prefect was giving them detention. They slunk away, scowling, one muttering under his breath.

"WE HEARD THAT!" yelled Zabini, which made them run to the next carriage.

"Are you ok Bethany?" Vicky asked the girl. She nodded.

"I hope I'm in Slytherin, like Daddy. You should have been in Slytherin too Vicky. Much better than those know it all Gryffindors." She said

"Don't I know it Bethany. Don't I know it." Vicky replied


	4. The Gryffindor turned Slytherin: Chapter...

**Chapter Four: The Secret Admirer Strikes.**

They spent the rest of the journey talking to Bethany, and when the food trolley came by, they all bought her something, after a careful warning from Zabini that when they say every flavour in the Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, they do mean every flavour, leaving to patrol the corridors now and again. As the train pulled in to Hogwarts station, Vicky and Draco kept an eye out for any first years that were being mistreated. Bethany smiled as she walked off with the other first years, while Vicky, Draco, Zabini, Pansy and Millicent got in to one of the carriages. Vicky looked at the Thestrals pulling them along, knowing her uncle's death was the reason for her seeing them.

"I have something to tell you guys." Said Pansy. They looked round at her expectantly. "I'm being transferred to Durumstrang. I leave on the 8th of October." She said sadly.

"Why Pansy?" asked Millicent. Pansy shrugged.

"I don't know. I think it's because mum is moving over there." She said sadly.

"I'm really sorry to hear that Pansy." Vicky said. It was true. Even if she found Pansy's obsession with Draco annoying, she didn't want her to go.

"We're nearly there. We'd best put on our badges." Said Zabini, digging in his pockets, and pulling out a Slytherin Serpent wrapped around a silver P. Vicky had a Gryffindor Lion stood on all fours below a red P. The carriage came to a halt and they clambered out, "Home Sweet Home!" said Vicky as Zabini Helped her and Millicent down. They walked in to the great hall, and stood chatting for a while. Then there was a knocking at the door.

"Meet me on Slytherin table for breakfast and we can go to Hogsmeade for the day." Whispered Draco giving Vicky a peck on the cheek, to keep up the charade. She nodded and made her way to the end of the Gryffindor table, well back from the Golden Trio. The hall went quiet, and Professor McGonagall appeared, leading the first years. Vicky spotted Bethany, and waved, she gave a timid wave back, and waved just as timidly to the Slytherins. McGonagall put the Sorting hat on the three-legged stool. A rip near the brim opened up, and the hat began its song.

_Once a year I sort you_

_And delve within your mind_

_To decide which house to put you in_

_So you are with your own kind_

_Oh I may not look pretty, _

_And I may not look fine,_

_But trust me, what's inside your head_

_Will help me to define_

_If you belong in Hufflepuff_

_Where the hardest workers are found, _

_The patient work of Hufflepuffs_

_Keep both feet on the ground_

_Or maybe it is Ravenclaw, _

_Where the smart and clever dwell_

_These young minds will always know_

_When to use what type of spell_

_But then again, is it Slytherin?_

_Where the cunning folk do live_

_These clever folk use anything_

_And stick up for those they're with_

_Or perhaps, it's in Gryffindor_

_Where the brave of heart are plenty_

_These brave folk will stand and fight,_

_Be there one or many._

_But yet this year, I will admit, _

_I have made a dreadful mistake._

_One person, six long years ago,_

_I gave the choice that wasn't theirs to take_

_And they are in the wrong house_

_But I can't remember the name_

_So all of you in your sixth year, _

_Must be sorted once again._

_But worry not, it is not yet,_

_Not for a month and a bit at least_

_So come along all you first years_

_Lets see where you belong_

_And remember that for just this once,_

_The Sorting Hat was wrong!_

The hall applauded, but it was punctuated with muttering. Vicky looked over at Draco, who looked back and shrugged. McGonagall began to read the names of the first years. Vicky didn't clap for the new Gryffindors, she clapped for the Slytherins. Bethany was one of five people left when her name was called.

"Tunstall, Bethany!" said McGonagall. Bethany, pale with fright, walked to the stool and put on the hat. It seemed like an eternity passed, Vicky and Draco shooting furtive glances towards each other, each hoping for the same thing: that she would be in Slytherin. Suddenly, the hat opened its mouth wide and cried "SLYTHERIN!".

Bethany walked down to the table, and up to where Draco and the others were sat. She waved across to Vicky, who gave her the thumbs up. The last four went one to each house, and Dumbledore stood up to make his speech.

"Welcome one and all to another school year at Hogwarts! To our first years welcome, to our other students welcome back. The Sorting Hat is indeed right, there will be a Second Sorting for the Sixth year students on October 9th. (He's waiting until Pansy leaves, Vicky thought) Therefore, there will be no Quidditch Tryouts until October 10th, and the first game will be two weeks afterwards. Copies of school rules and the like are to be found on common room notice boards, and first years are to note that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds. May I also take this opportunity to welcome our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Postleworth." He said, and a tall willowy figure stood up. "I hope you will make her most welcome. As I can think of nothing more of importance to say, lets have some dinner shall we?" and with a clap of his hands, food appeared on the plates before the students. Vicky smiled at a new Gryffindors reaction as he lifted the plate to see if there was anything below it.

"If you think that's amazing, you should see what they do for Halloween" she told him, and began to tell him all about the streamers and the displays the ghosts put on. Soon a crowd of first year Gryffindors were gathered round as she told them of things that happened in the castle. She talked of the Tri-Wizard's Yule ball, of the Christmas Decorations that covered the castle, and forewarned them about Peeves. Nearly Headless Nick came over and said hello, which immediately scared the living daylights out of them.

"It's ok, Nick doesn't bite" Vicky said, and put an arm in mid air around the ghostly figure. Nick smiled.

"Indeed. I don't bite." He chortled, so that his head wobbled dangerously on his shoulders.

"I was just telling them about the Halloween displays Nick." Vicky said, as desert appeared on their plates. Vicky steered clear of the gateau, remembering in second year when she and Draco had eaten too much of it and both been sick in the lake.

At long last, the time came when they had to take the new Gryffindors up to their dorms. Rather than follow Hermione, as the first years had the year before, they flocked to Vicky, most of them enthralled by the tales she had told of the Christmas decorations and the Halloween feasts. The Golden trio looked mutinous as Vicky walked by, the first years following in her wake. Draco and the Slytherins passed by followed by their first years. Vicky waved and Draco blew her a kiss.

"You see, Slytherins are not that bad? I've known Draco Malfoy since first year and we have as strong a friendship as any." Vicky said.

"Please miss, where's our things?" asked a timid boy.

"What's your name?" Vicky asked.

"Timothy O'Brien, but my friends call me Tim." He said.

"Well Tim," the boy smiled "Your things will be waiting at the bottom of your beds. And please, don't call me Miss. I'm not a teacher. But if you ever need a hand, come find me. I'll do my best no matter what. Here we are. Hello Fat Lady" Vicky said, as they stood outside the giant picture.

"Hello dear. Password?" she said, smiling at them.

"Reverence. Remember that ok, or you wont be able to get in." Vicky said as the doors swung open. Vicky went through first.

"Welcome to Gryffindor Common Room. This is basically where you can do home work, mess about and generally chill out, and of course, to rest next year after the lucky ones get picked for the Quidditch team. And here is our Seeker, Harry Potter, and our Keeper, Ron Weasly. Thanks to these two, we've had what the school has come to acknowledge as the strongest team in twenty years for Gryffindor. As for Harry Himself, he's the best in the year at Defence Against the Dark Arts." Vicky said, as Harry Ron and Hermione came in, followed by other Gryffindors.

"And Hermione Granger, the smartest in the year. If you have a problem on anything at all to do with work, she's the one who will know the answer. And most likely the only person in the school who has read Hogwarts: A History."

"I've read that too!" said one of the girls, who happened to be the tallest of the lot.

"Really? What did you think?" said Hermione, and she and the girl sat in the corner chatting.

"That's Dean Thomas, our resident artist, he can draw anything," Vicky said, as Dean slumped down on to the sofa.

"Aww come off it." He laughed.

"He's a bit modest, but when we have our first match, you can see I'm right by the quality of the banners. That's Semus Finnegan, our football fanatic." Semus waved, and three of the boys smiled. "There's nothing he doesn't know about football. Those two there are Colin and Dennis Creevy, our resident Photographers. Hey Colin, how about a picture of our new Gryffindors? Maybe tomorrow then. And finally there's me. Just plain old me." Vicky finished.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione, you don't mind taking over? Good I'm off to bed." She said, and walked off up the staircase to her dorm. But it was a while before she slept.

The Sorting Hats song was confusing her. It sounded like her, Vicky often felt she was in the wrong house. She decided to talk to Draco about it in the morning. And that was another thing that was bothering her. Draco. When he had kissed her in Diagon Alley, even though it had been part of their plan, she wasn't prepared for the feeling that came afterwards. And now, after sharing the same bed for two weeks, even though it was by mutual consent, being in her bed in Gryffindor Tower made her feel alone. And for the first time since her uncle had died, she cried.

Awaking the following morning, at half past five, Vicky found she could not get back to sleep. It was too early for breakfast, so she got dressed, picking up the robe Draco had bought her for Christmas, and went out in to the grounds. She walked along the lake, and sat for a while at its shores. A lazy tentacle pierced the calm surface of the lake occasionally, leaving Vicky mainly to her thoughts. She snuggled in to the robe, leaning against a tree. She thought of Draco, of waking up and seeing him asleep next to her. Then she scolded herself. Draco was a friend, and thinking of him in any other way would jeopardise her friend ship with him. With that thought firmly in her mind, she stood up and made her way to breakfast. Draco and the rest of the Slytherin Prefects were already up, and he waved to her to come and sit with them, much to the disgust of the Golden Trio, who were also up. No sooner had she sat down and been given a peck on the cheek by Draco than the hundreds of owls that delivered the post flew in. Everyone's attention was attracted to six owls carrying a long slender package, with one owl preceded them, carrying a green envelope. They headed directly for the Slytherin table, and landed in front of Vicky.

"What in the name of Merlin?" she said as she picked up the envelope first.

_Dearest Vicky_(it read)

_You do not know me yet, but I know you. You have bewitched me ever since I first saw your dazzling smile and heard your voice. I want to approach you, but I am too shy. Instead, I shall shower you with gifts, until the time is right for us to meet. This is just the first of many. Until next time._

_Love_

_Your Secret Admirer._

"Zabini, what is this cheese? Is this some kind of joke?" Vicky asked.

"No, nothing to do with me. I don't send girls gifts." He said, reading the letter that had been thrown to him. Vicky tore the end off the parcel to reveal a long brown handle.

"No way. It's a Broomstick!" she gasped, and began to frantically tear at the paper. A gleaming new broom was lying before her; along its handle read the words "Lighting Strike" Vicky was amazed.

"Who would like me enough to spend Merlin knows how many Galleons on a broom like this? It's the next step up from a Firebolt!" she said, as Draco looked it over, after having read the note.

"Aww, Vicky's got a secret admirer!" he teased, moving in to kiss her cheek, as Pansy Parkinson came in, and the Golden Trio walked past.

"I have no idea who sent you it but lets come back early this afternoon from Hogsmeade and we can try it out." He whispered, his hand brushing hers, making her blush.

"I'll go put this away, and meet you here. Oh and Draco, don't gel your hair. I like it as it is." She said as she stood up and walked to Gryffindor Tower, re-reading the note as she went. Some one fancied her. And had sent her a broomstick? Well, at least she had one now.

She put it on her bed for now, ignoring the scowls that Lavender and Parvati were giving her because of her robe, and took her moneybag from her drawer. It was still very heavy, bless Draco's heart. Vicky let out a little sigh, and mentally slapped herself. So much for remembering he's just a friend.


	5. The Gryffindor turned Slytherin: Chapter...

**Chapter Five: A heartbreaking secret**

"So, where to?" Draco asked, as they, along with the other sixth and seventh years walked to Hogsmeade.

"I don't know, do they have one of those Muggle sweet shops here? I ran out of barley sugars on the train." She said, as she and Draco linked arms as Pansy ran towards them.

"I have no idea. Hello Pansy." Said Draco as she reached them.

"Did you guess who the Sorting Hat was on about last night?" she asked, ad Zabini and Millicent joined them. Draco shook his head.

"We have a guess." Millicent said.

"Who? And please don't tell me Potter, Granger or Weasly were actually meant for Slytherin because I won't believe it." Draco said as the headed for the Three Broomsticks. They found themselves a table, and Zabini was sent to get a Butterbeer each.

"Well, we've been thinking about it carefully. Who is it we know that doesn't fit in to their house, who is totally ignored by it for the most part?" asked Millicent. Draco shrugged.

"Isn't it obvious? It's Vicky!" said Pansy, her face excited. "You know how often you've said you feel like you're part of Slytherin house. Well I think that's where you were supposed to go in the first place."

"You realise something? She might just be right! And guess what little bit of gossip I heard? Potter has his eyes on a girl in our year. Ginny Weasly told Eloise Midgeons little sister, who told someone in Ravenclaw, who told someone in Hufflepuff as I was stood next to them telling Derrick in third year how to drop a Dungbomb in the corridor without Filch smelling it. I wonder who he's go his eye on?" said Zabini.

"If it's me I'll throttle the little shit. He may act all tough but he's really a lost and lonely little boy inside." Vicky said, and as if on cue Harry came in, strangely alone.

He saw Vicky with Draco, and marched over.

"Tupper. I want a word with you. Outside." He said and turned round and walked back out. Vicky gave his back a look that would have made a lesser man than Draco and Harry think twice. She stood up, and began to walk off, as Draco grabbed her arm.

"Vicky, be careful. You know what Potter is capable of." He said.

"Yes. Sadly, he doesn't know what I'm capable of, of all the times I went back after classes and practised things until they were perfect. Perhaps I should have been a Ravenclaw." She said and stalked off, leaving a silence in her wake.

Outside, she saw him walking off towards the Shrieking Shack. She would bet anything Ron and Hermione were hidden under his Invisibility cloak, Draco had told her about it hundreds of times. Walking quickly after him, she whispered the sixth sense charm under her breath, knowing if they were there she would at least be forewarned. By the time she had caught up with him, he was leaning against the rails outside the house, staring moodily out over the countryside. Vicky could feel no tingling sensations, which meant there was no one nearby. Whatever Harry had to say, he had come to say it alone.

"What is it Potter? I really don't have time to waste on this." She said, her wand at the ready.

"Firstly, I wanted to say sorry about your uncle. He didn't deserve to go that way."

"I don't need your sympathy Potter." Vicky said, her wand shooting angry red sparks.

"No you have darling Malfoy for that. I came to tell you to keep away from him."

"What? You think you can boss me about and tell me to stay away from my boyfriend?" she said taking refuge in the fact that it was all a joke. "You want to get your head sorted Potter. No one bosses me about. No one. The sooner you understand that the sooner I can forget we had this little chat. Other people like Hermione might think you are wonderful, but I think you are a self absorbed, egotistical arsehole." She said, feeling a sudden eruption of tingling all down her left side.

"And as for Ron, I pity him, having to follow in your wake all the time. Why don't you give him a break and not treat him like your lapdog. And I know they are here, under your invisibility cloak. So I'll see you later, Potter." Vicky said, and turned round, her robes billowing out around her. She stalked off down the hill, and sneaked a glance behind her. Sure enough, Ron and Hermione had appeared by Harry's side, and they didn't look pleased. Good, though Vicky as she rejoined Draco and the others and began on a grand tour of Hogsmeade.

"Mount your broom carefully, once I tried to mount too quickly and I fell off." Draco said, as Vicky and he used the Quidditch pitch to practise flying. Vicky hadn't flown at all since their broom lessons in first year; bar the odd quick go on Draco's broom, or sharing a broom with him. So she had to remember a lot.

"Now tip it upwards gently, only a tiny bit. That's it." He said as Vicky felt herself rising in to the air, Draco beside her.

"Perfect." He smiled, although Vicky had a death grip on the broom handle, and was absolutely terrified. She gave him a weak smile back and leaned forward slightly, the way she remembered doing in class all those years ago. The broom began to move, and they completed a slow circuit of the Quidditch pitch.

"Well done. Now lets try a little faster." He said. Vicky nodded. They went on like this for three hours, until Vicky was flying confidently on her own. She was able to turn and brake sharply with confidence, and she could dodge Draco as he flew at her at high speed. As Vicky came back to him, having completed her fastest yet lap of the stadium, Harry and Ron came on to the pitch.

"Here we go." Breathed Draco. He wasn't in the mood for a fight, and either was Vicky.

"Let's just ignore them and concentrate on flying." Vicky said, and they began to race each other around the pitch. Harry and Ron were practising near the goals, and Vicky and Draco would swoop under them as they neared. Vicky and Draco pulled up a short way off, gasping for breath. Suddenly, the Quaffle Harry and Ron were practising with went astray and hit Vicky in the back.

"Watch where you're throwing that thing Potter!" Vicky growled, and threw it back, aiming for his head. It was a perfect shot, hitting him neatly on the back.

"Why did you do that?" he yelled, rubbing where it had hit.

"Don't act dumb Potter, even though it suits you. You know damn well why I did it." Vicky said rubbing the small of her back.

"Why couldn't you have died with your parents?" he said suddenly and viciously. Vicky's heart tensed. Did he know?

"Because I wanted to live and torture you." She snarled, whipping her wand out and moving within range "Don't bring my parent's in to this."

"Why not? You're the reason my parent's died." He said, withdrawing his wand also

"Harry, mate, that's a bit harsh" said Ron, shocked.

"What in hells name are you on about Harry?" said Draco, momentarily lapsing and using Harry's first name. Vicky felt her throat run dry. He knew. And now he was about to let Draco know as well as Ron.

"She never told you Malfoy? That my parents died because of her?"

"It had nothing to do with me!" Vicky cried. Tears were beginning to show now, the careful defence she had built around herself since she found out about her parents death was crumbling fast.

"Yes it did! If you had been killed, my parents would have escaped. They would have ripped the house apart looking for you; meaning the time it took to plan the attack on my parents would have taken longer and they would have escaped. ITS ALL YOUR FAULT YOU BITCH!" Harry roared at Vicky. In one swift movement, Vicky turned round and sped off towards the castle.

"Harry you wanker look what you did!" Ron said shocked. "She may be friend with your worst enemy, but she's still a Gryffindor. The entire HOUSE is going to be on your back now!" Ron yelled. The enormity of what Harry had just done sunk in to him, while Draco was still trying to come to terms with what Harry had just said.

"Oh Merlin what have I done?" he said, and zoomed off to the castle.

"Ron, Vicky's parents, what happened?" asked Draco. Ron shrugged.

"I have no idea. But he's going to have a hell of a time saying sorry." Ron said, shaking his head sadly.

Vicky's feet pounded on the stone floors of the castle as she hurtled towards the dungeons, there was one in particular that was near enough cut off from the entire school, and that was where she was headed.

"Vicky wait!" came a shout behind her, and she turned to see Harry running behind her, broom in hand. Vicky ran faster, turned a corner and in to a door on her left. She was in the dungeons, and made her way straight down the long corridor. Footsteps behind her told her Harry had also come through the door. Vicky turned in to the dungeon that had offered her sanctuary hundreds of times, and made her way to the farthest corner. Once there she put down her broom, sank down against the wall and cried, her defences worn to the ground.

"Mum, Dad, I'm sorry! I tried to keep it a secret I really did!" she wailed. Tears cascaded thick and fast down her cheeks, as she sobbed, her head in her hands. Footsteps came echoing down the corridor, it sounded like more than one person, but Vicky ignored them as she cried. The footsteps came in, and came closer.

"Leave me alone Harry! You've made your point!" She yelled, resting her forehead on her arms, and her arms on her knees. An arm came round her, she recognised the smell of Draco's robes. Well, it was a distinctive smell, and he'd lent her it a few times, especially after she fell in the lake last summer. He pulled her to his shoulder, and Vicky cried some more.

"Vicky, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it, it was out of turn, and…" rushed Harry.

"Too damn right it was out of turn Harry." Said a female voice. Vicky looked up, but never took her head off of Draco's shoulder. Hermione was glaring daggers at Harry; Ron was sat on an upturned crate to her left.

"Look Hermione, you don't have a clue how I'm feeling right now, so don't start getting all high and mighty and telling me off!" He said. Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but a look from Ron made her think better.

"I'm sorry. Please Vicky, I'm really sorry." Harry said, sitting down on the nearest upturned crate. He ran his hands through his hair.

"You have no idea what happened Harry. Even I don't know the full details. But I saw the whole thing, as a baby. Mum tried to cover me over, but I must have worked off the cover. I saw it all." Vicky whispered, Draco still holding her in his arms. "But I will tell you what I know." And Vicky began to tell them all that had happened that fateful night, from everything she could remember.

Anne and Tony Tupper had graduated from Hogwarts three years before Vicky's birth. Vicky had been long awaited; three miscarriages and a stillborn child preceded her. Anne and Tony were convinced that they could want for nothing more when Vicky arrived.

The night it all happened was Vicky's first birthday. Anne and Tony had thrown a small party, and they were tidying up after the last guest had left. A sudden crash as the back door fell in revealed two people. One had his face covered by a white mask. The other needed no description, and Tony stood in front of Anne in defence.

"What do you want?" Tony had asked.

"Calm yourself. Give us the child and we will go in peace." Said the taller of the two, in a low hissing voice.

"Give you our child? What do you want with her?" Vicky's terrified mum had asked.

"To raise her as my own, to use her to destroy all that I hate. Why else would I come after a pure blooded child of your combined intellect? I know you have waited long enough for her. Give me her now and you shall both live."

"No!" Vicky's mum had yelled, and ran upstairs to where Vicky had been laying in her cot. Hoping to deceive the two men, her mother had lifted Vicky from her cot and hidden her under the covers of her double bed. Taking off a locket around her neck, she whispered a few words and waved her wand over it, placing it around Vicky's neck.

Below, while her mother was saving Vicky's life, her father was trying to protect his wife by battling with the two men.

"Give up Tony, you can't win." Said the man with the white mask.

"Maybe not, but at least if I die, I died trying." Said Tony, ducking a particularly vicious curse.

"How right you are." Said the man with the hissing voice, and shot the Avada Kedavra curse at him, killing him outright.

"Go upstairs, and claim my daughter." Said the man with the hissing voice. The man in the white mask had nodded, and running upstairs, had caught Vicky's mum in the process of shutting the nursery door, to deceive them.

"Anne, it doesn't have to be this way." He said idly, throwing a curse at her.

"I'd rather have my daughter brought up by werewolves than by you!" Anne yelled, defecting it. The man shot her with a paralysing curse, which hit and her mum slumped to the floor. As she did so, there was a crack, and a thin, short, snivelling little man had Apparated in to the house.

"I have them!" he had cried excitedly.

"Have who? Speak sense Peter!" growled the man.

"James and Lilly! They made me their secret keeper! I have the Potters!" he said, almost skipping with glee. The man in the mask rolled Anne on to her front, and slowly, deliberately, in a way that may have made her want to die with the pain, carved the Dark Mark on her back.

"She'll die in about a weeks time. They always do." He said.

"Have you got the child? And Peter, what news?" said the man with the hissing voice.

"I have them, Master. I have the Potters!" cried Peter, and a flash of green light shot past, as they Apparated.

Anne spent the next two weeks, despite the man in the white mask's prediction, in hospital with Vicky beside her. During that time, unable to speak above a whisper, Anne had written many letters to Vicky, fully aware she may die any second. She had told Aurors investigating the attack what had happened, including the fact she recognised the voice. She had been working on the last letter to Vicky, and had just signed it, when she managed to speak the name of the man in the white mask, and died there and then. Vicky, sensing the loss, had cried day in and day out for three weeks, having been sent to her Uncle Mark, who was made her parental guardian.

"What was the name?" asked Ron, who was enthralled, although it disgusted him that he was in such a grim story. Vicky furrowed her forehead.

"I can't quite remember. It was L…L…L…" she stammered, but couldn't get it. Draco had gone ghostly white.

"Was it Lucious?" he asked, his voice trembling. Vicky's eyes widened in horror.

"Yes. Lucious Malfoy. Your dad." She said. Draco scrambled to his feet.

"That's the one Dad always boasts about, the one where they found out where your parent's were Harry. What date was it?"

"October 15th." Vicky said, also getting to her feet. It felt like her world was crashing down on her, like she would never be able to look Draco in the face without knowing what his father had done. Vicky did the only thing that made sense. She ran all the way to the common room, not looking back once. Up stairs, along corridors, she ran as if the hounds of hell were chasing her. Her broom clattered to the floor as she leapt on to the bed, eyes streaming with tears, and she yanked the hangings shut. Her hand strayed to the locket on her neck which she flicked open. A woman's voice surrounded her, in a soothing lullaby that sounded like it had been sung only yesterday.

"Go to sleep, rest your eyes, for the night time has fallen" it crooned, and Vicky's tears began to subside. It wasn't long until Hermione came upstairs, and peering through the curtains saw Vicky asleep, the locket still open and singing.

"Till you wake, precious child, on a fresh new day" it said, as Hermione closed it, a tear in her eye.


	6. The Gryffindor turned Slytherin: Chapter...

**Chapter Six: Coming to terms**

Vicky found she was unable to face breakfast on Monday, having successfully avoided Draco on the Sunday. She realised she would have to sit next to Draco in Potions, it was inevitable she would have to sit next to, him, to speak to him. Harry was still furious with himself, Hermione was mad at him for his outburst. Ron was mad at Harry for his outburst too, but not as much as Hermione. Draco was absolutely furious with Harry for hurting Vicky, while Vicky wished it would all go away and was trying to figure out how to look Draco in the eye and not see her parent's murderers son. She found herself stood outside the dungeon room door twenty minutes early as a consequence of this, and was pondering what to do when Snape came sweeping along the corridor. He gave Vicky a thin smile; anyone who hated Potter like he did was fine in his books, even if they were a Gryffindor.

"Miss Tupper, not with Mr Malfoy this morning?" he asked.

"Certain… things have come to light sir, that makes being in his company difficult." Vicky replied as he opened the door and beckoned her in.

"Is that so? What things are these?" Snape asked. He set his books and papers down on his desk, and handed Vicky back an essay she had written in the last week of term.

"My parent's murderer." Vicky said, as she put her bag on the desk she and Draco usually occupied. Snape looked up as she sat down.

"Perhaps you had better explain Miss Tupper. You are near enough an honorary Slytherin in my eyes, so anything I can do to help you, please say." He said, and so Vicky launched in to a full explanation. She told him everything that had been said Saturday, and how she had been unable to leave the common room all day yesterday for fear of bumping in to him.

"So you see sir, I'm not sure I can look at him again without seeing the son of the man who murdered my parents." She finished. Snape opened the book sat before him.

"Push it to the back of your mind, Miss Tupper. Draco is very free minded, now that he has seen his father in his true light. You are the only person whom he seems to care about. Ensure it stays that way, if I were you. We will continue this discussion at a later date perhaps?" he asked, as students began to come in to the class. Vicky nodded, as Draco made a beeline for her, after pushing Harry out of the way.

"Are you, ok? Are you sure?" he asked, hugging her in such away that Vicky blushed, which was made worse by him kissing her cheek.

"Draco calm down! I'm fine!" Vicky said, trying to laugh it off, yet was secretly pleased.

"Ahem." Came a small cough from behind them, and they turned to see Snape glaring at them, but in a slightly amused fashion.

"Now that Mr Malfoy has finally contained himself I will begin. Potions at N.E.W.T level are extremely difficult and much more complex than O.W.L level. Many of you in this class will fail this course," he shot a long glare at Neville, who had miraculously made it in to the class, "If you do not apply the proper concentration to the subject. Today, we will be starting on Memory Potions. There are two main Potions in this category, the Prevention Potion and the Releasing Potion. The method for the Prevention Potion is on the board. We will be working on it for about a week, so it is imperative that you write down what I tell you each lesson. A member of this class will then test the potion. The Prevention Potion…" he said, waving his wand. Vicky scribbled it all down as fast as she could, Draco was stealing furtive glance at her, and as the class dissolved in to chatter around them, as they went to get their ingredients, he finally spoke up.

"You are ok aren't you?" he said.

"Yes Draco and if you ask me again I will hex your nose of your face!" she said. He smiled.

"A definite yes then." He smiled as he went to get some bicorn horn from the cupboards, as Vicky gently filled the cauldron with golden syrup. As Draco returned, Vicky brushed past him to get some beetle wings and powdered dragon scale. She didn't see Draco staring wistfully after her, as he tipped all the bicorn horn in to the potion, as opposed to the five grams they were supposed to put in.

Vicky did not speak to Harry at all that week; she just found she was unable to think of anything other than severely injuring him. Having her parents revealed at the people last killed before the Potters was not something she had wanted revealed. Hermione and Ron too, had given Vicky a wide berth, noticing the scowl that seemed to permanently dominate her features that week. Friday finally came, and Vicky and Draco had agreed, along with the rest of their gang from Slytherin, to go back down in to Hogsmeade again, and have lunch at the Three Broomsticks. Eating breakfast at the Slytherin table, something she had done every day this year so far, and remembering she and Draco were on night duty, Vicky was disturbed by Bethany in first year getting up to go to class just as the post arrived. Vicky looked up; she'd stopped expecting any mail, bar the private sort of letters she and Draco had taken to sending each other. Her owl, Zelkin, flew down to her, bearing such a letter. Vicky took it from him, and gave him a piece of toast. Zelkin hooted appreciatively, and flew off. No sooner than she had begun to open her letter, a scuffling and screeching came from outside.

"Vicky! It's Zelkin!" came the voice of Bethany. Running outside with Millicent and Pansy at her heels, Vicky saw Zelkin scuffling with a large snowy white owl above the lawn.

"That's Potters owl." Said Millicent.

"ZELKIN! GET DOWN HERE!" Vicky yelled, stretching out her arm, as Harry and Ron came outside, hearing the commotion. Zelkin charged viciously at the owl one last time, before swooping down to Vicky's outstretched arm. The snowy owl swept down to Harry. Vicky looked up and their eyes met. Everyone could feel the hatred for each other pouring out of them, and most took a step back. Vicky handed her owl to Millicent, as Harry did the same to Ron.

"Keep and eye on Weasly, I think Potter may try something, so I cant keep my eyes off him," Vicky whispered out of the side of her mouth, not taking her eyes off Harry, and slowly withdrew her wand.

"Keep your owl under control Tupper." He spat, withdrawing his wand also.

"You should keep yours under control, or does it act like its master, think first, apologies later?" Vicky bit, angry and, against all her better instincts, spoiling for a fight. So what if it was boy versus girl? She would love to smack him one in the face right now. His eyes narrowed. He knew exactly what Vicky was getting at.

"You're a traitor to your own house! You hang around with SLYTHERINS! With Draco Malfoy!" he said. A sudden surge of hatred, and a need to protect her friend flew through her

"Petrificus Totalus!" she yelled.

"Densuago!" Both spells hit, amid loud gasps from the people watching. Millicent immediately reduced Vicky's teeth size, while Ron stood over Harry, trying in vain to remember the counter curse. Vicky was about to walk away, but Ron managed the counter curse, and Harry leapt up, and both rushed at each other as the bell rang. They stood, wands at each other's throats, Vicky seething.

"And just what is going on here?" asked an oily voice. Vicky smiled inwardly. Professor Snape. Harry's eyes narrowed in frustration.

"Potter was about to curse me, Professor." She smiled, her wand still under his chin.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Potter. No fighting in the castle grounds." He said, "Now release Miss Tupper." Harry moved his wand away reluctantly. Vicky smiled at him and lowered her own wand, walking over to a large tree to sit down, followed by Millicent and Pansy.

"Merlin you two hate each other!" exclaimed Pansy. Vicky took the letter out of her pocket.

"We have a mutual dislike for each other." She replied, opening the letter. It wasn't from Draco.

_Dear Vicky._

_For five long years I have watched from afar, as you laughed, as you cried and as you fought. I have longed to reveal myself, my true feelings for you. Manys the time I have come close to it, but at the last time I lost all nerve. Take this necklace as a token of my affection. I will write again soon my love, take care._

_All my love,_

_Your Secret Admirer._

"Another letter!" Vicky exclaimed, looking in the envelope to find the aforementioned necklace. Grasping the chain, which revealed itself as silver as it came out, Vicky pulled out a small ball, about the size of a Remembrall, she reasoned. It was clear, and Vicky noticed something written on the lid of the envelope.

"This necklace is cloudy when worn by the desired person, and pink near the admirer, otherwise it will be clear." Vicky read aloud. She slipped the necklace around her head.

"Shit! We should be in Arithmancy!" said Millicent, jumping up. "Sorry Vicky, we have to go!" she said as they both ran towards the castle. Vicky shrugged and gazed over the lake as the squid pierced the surface. A person waving caught her eye and a third year Slytherin by the name of Natalie Evans, came over.

"Hi Vicky. Draco asked me to ask you to meet him at the beginning of second period in the Entrance hall. He got a letter from his mum, a howler I think." She said. A book in her bag fell out, and Vicky noticed a thick rope bound it.

"Care of Magical Creatures?" Natalie nodded. Vicky took the book from the ground, and took off the rope.

"I bound it because it tried to take a bite out of me." She said.

"Watch." Vicky said, and ran her finger down the spine. The book shivered, and fell flat open and motionless. Vicky passed it back, and decided to walk over to the class with her. Hagrid smiled as she drew near.

"Ello Miss Tupper. Care to 'elp me with this mornin's class?" he asked. A number of timid looking third year Gryffindors stared at her.

"Sure. Is it what I think it is? Hippogriffs?" she asked, coming closer to him. He nodded.

"Will yeh do me a favour and get them the open their books while I go get them?" he asked, a little reluctant to leave the class on its own. Vicky recognised the two Slytherins from the train. She still hadn't received their essays.

"No problem Hagrid." She said and he smiled.

"Yer a good kid, Vicky." He smiled, and went round the corner.

"Ok class, my god I sound like a teacher don't I?" she laughed, the class laughing with her. "To open your books, run your finger down the spine. Let me show you. Colin, give me your book." She said, and Colin Creevy, a third year Gryffindor, gave her the book. Removing the scarf tied around it, Vicky held it at arms length as it began to snap and try and bite her. She ran her index finger down its spine, and within a few seconds the book was lying flat in her hand. Emboldened by her success, the students tried. Hagrid appeared around the corner, ushering four or five Hippogriffs in front of him in to a pen.

"Carry on, Vicky, I still got two more the bring round. Tell 'em everything you remember." He said, shutting the pen door. The students were standing a few meters from the fence, most scared out of their wits. Vicky walked up to the fence, beckoning them to the fence.

"Ok, now I'm going to say this once. What ever Professor Hagrid says, you MUST listen to him. The same goes for what I am about to tell you about Hippogriffs." She said, as Hagrid drove a beautiful black Hippogriff round the corner, followed by a slightly smaller grey one. "It may cost you your life. The first thing you must remember about Hippogriffs are very easily offended. DO NOT insult them," Vicky said, as Hagrid joined her.

"Thas right. Never insult a Hippogriff, they tend to take it very personally. Yer mite end up visitin Madam Pomfrey, an I don't want anyone 'avin the do that. Yeh always gotta wait fer the Hippogriff to move first. It's polite, see? All yeh gotta do is walk towards him, bow an' wait. If he bows back, yeh can touch him. If not, back away sharpish like, coz they got sharp talons, and like I said, yeh don't want the go the Madam Pomfrey. Now, who wants the try?" he asked. No one moved.

"Let me Hagrid." Said Vicky, a lot more bravely than she felt. Vicky hopped over he fence, and walked over to the black hippogriff. The class pressed up against the fence, some standing on the bottom rung of the fence.

"Easy now Vicky, now bow." Said Hagrid from the side. A little reluctant to expose her neck, Vicky did so, keeping eye contact. The Hippogriff cocked his head to the side, giving Vicky a beady eye. She could feel her eyes watering from not blinking. She would need to close them soon. Suddenly, it bowed low, sinking on to its scaly knees. The class gasped, and clapped. Vicky gingerly raised a hand and stroked it, the creature closed its eyes as if enjoying it.

"Well done! Yeh know, I reckon he'd let yeh ride him." Said Hagrid, winking.

"Ride him? Like Harry did?" she asked, stupidly. Hagrid smiled.

"Um…well…" she stammered, watching the class, who were looking at her with something bordering reverence. The Hippogriff behind her sunk on to all four of his knees. It looked as though her choice had been decided for her.

"Its ok, Night won't hurt yeh." Hagrid encouraged, as Vicky turned round and steeled herself to climb up on to the hippogriff. Vicky put her left foot just behind its wing joint, and swung her other leg over the hippogriffs back. It stood up suddenly, making Vicky grab hold of its neck. The great wings opened up either side of her, and Vicky distinctly felt her stomach leave her body as they rose in to the air.

"Oh Merlin this is so weird!" she said as they completed a lap of the paddock. They touched down, and the Hippogriff kneeled on to all fours for Vicky to get off. She did so, rather wobbly, to applause from the class.

"I much prefer a broom!" she said, as Hagrid motioned the class to go and try for themselves. The two Slytherins held back.

"You two! I believe Mr Malfoy and I asked for an essay each on why bullying is wrong? It's way overdue. Five points from Slytherin, and detention tonight, eight thirty in the Great Hall. You will be re-varnishing the house tables, without magic, under Mr Filches watch. I will be on night duty, and I will make sure you are there." She said, drawing herself up to her full height. They cowered; evidently they had been hoping they would forget it. Vicky left, walking up to the Entrance Hall to meet Draco.


	7. The Gryffindor turned Slytherin: Chapter...

**Chapter Seven: Potions and Kisses**

"Oh there you are! I didn't think you'd make it, I saw you with Hagrid's class." He said, smiling. "You know, you'd make a wonderful teacher." Vicky blushed several shades of crimson, and ducked her head, so her hair fell in front of her eyes. Merlin, don't do that! Said Draco to himself. It makes me want to… no don't go there, he said, as they began to walk down to Hogsmeade. They had just got in to the village, when Vicky spotted Harry, and he spotted her. Both wands came out immediately, and Ron and Draco put themselves between them.

"Don't waste your time and energy Vicky." Said Draco, looking at her scowling face, and turning to find Harry had the same look of loathing on his own face. Ron managed to manoeuvre him in to Zonko's, while Draco took Vicky to the new Muggle sweet shop, Muggle Delights.

Once in there, they promptly bought several Galleons worth of Muggle sweets, including the dangerously addictive Maltesers. Vicky remembered seeing an advert for them in the short period they'd owned a Muggle television set.

"I remember in this advert, they were lying on their backs, blowing the Malteser in to the air, making it float above their mouths before they stopped and let it drop in." Vicky laughed, picking up a Snickers and a bar of Galaxy. She added them to the already half full basket Draco was carrying round, while he gathered several types of sweets fro what Muggles called a "Pick'n'Mix" stand. Vicky picked up a bag of her own and filled it entirely with Barley sugars.

"We are going halves on this right?" Vicky asked.

"No, I'm paying. One of the good things about having rich parents, you never need to worry about money." He said with contempt. He paid the friendly looking witch behind the counter ten Galleons, six Sickles and two Knuts, and they made their way to the Three Broomsticks for lunch. Vicky noticed with a jolt that Harry was sat with Ron, both looking a bit forlorn. Harry looked up, gave her a weak smile, attempted a scowl and shrugged his shoulders

"Draco," Vicky began tentatively, "Was there ever a time you and Harry got on?" To her surprise, Draco shook his head and sighed.

"No. Perhaps for twenty minutes once, when we had detention together, but that's all. I acted a total arrogant sod when I first met him. Do you know what I said? I said "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." How slimy and arrogant do I sound? Very. It's just escalated from there really. That and things my parents had drummed in to my head. I still find it awkward to keep my mouth shut when it comes to him. And with you, I feel like I found some kindred spirit." He said, as someone came over to ask what they wanted for lunch.

"I don't hate him for living when Voldemort was killed, and becoming the boy who lived, I hate the attention he gets, the leeway teachers give him, he should have been expelled a hundred times or more! And every girl in our year swoons over him. It's Potter this and Potter that, it makes me want to vomit. I don't find him even remotely attractive. And the girls in my dorm all assume I deep down like him, despite my protests I can't stand him. Or they assume I have my eyes on…um…another guy." Said Vicky, trying to tactfully avoid confessing she fancied Draco. She looked down, and saw, down the front of her robes, the ball on her silver chain was glowing pink. Draco? No. Not possible, her mind said.

"I understand Vicky. You feel shunted in to the background. It does make me wonder what would have happened if Potter and I had become friends, even if we were in different houses. But that will never happen." Draco said, as their lunch of chicken salad and a cold jug of Butterbeer arrived.

"And Granger just gets up my nose," Vicky said, spearing a piece of cucumber on her fork. "She doesn't have to answer _every_ question the teachers ask. Did you see her Transfiguration homework? _Three_ rolls of parchment more than McGonagall asked for! I mean is she _trying_ to make the rest of the year look bad? Oh the amount of times I've wanted to smack her in the mouth. I wish I'd enrolled on that Muggle combat course my Uncle told me about" Vicky said, and a sudden sharp pang of sadness hit her. Her uncle was gone. A few tears escaped.

"You know, you could always take it up now." Draco suggested.

"But who would teach me? I don't know anyone who would willingly teach me that."

"Well, don't tell anyone, but I've been getting private tutoring for it from Professor Vector. He used to teach it before he came to Hogwarts. I could always teach you, now I'm near the end of my training." He said, quietly.

"So that's why you're so good at Seeking." Vicky smiled. "Thanks for the offer Draco. I'll think it over. But one thing I do want to do, for definite, is to become an Animagus. I'd love to be able to do that. Do you think McGonagall would teach me?" Vicky asked, brushing away a few tears. Draco pulled her to him.

"Hey, come on, don't cry. Mark wouldn't want you to cry. Let's go, get out of here and sit by the lake in our spot yeah?" he said, and with a wave of his wand packed the salads in to some bags for later, and the Butterbeer in to a flask. He put these in to one of their bags, and led Vicky back to Hogwarts.

Vicky and Draco stood in the entrance hall that night, awaiting the two Slytherins who had detention with Filch. They came in shuffling their feet, and Vicky lead them to Filch, who was waiting, with the things they needed beside him.

"All yours Filch. If they play up, don't hesitate to send Mrs Norris for us." Said Draco. "This is a lesson well learned boys. You don't bully first years. Especially my cousin." He said, his eyes narrowing.

"B…but we..." stammered one boy, now mortally afraid that he had offended the Malfoy family.

"Have fun." Vicky said, and they left the hall, walked up two flights of stairs and in to a hidden alcove behind a tapestry before bursting in to laughter.

"They so fell for that!" Vicky gasped. Draco smiled.

"Is my Slytherin charm so effective?" he said, in a mock curious tone. Vicky grabbed hold of his arm, and yanked him out of the alcove.

Night duty was actually one of the most boring things Vicky had ever experienced. Patrolling corridor after empty corridor was starting to take its toll as Vicky and Draco began to mess about.

"Do you think the teachers take us prefects seriously?" asked Draco, after he and Vicky had spent half an hour playing leapfrog down a particularly long corridor.

"Well it depends on the teacher really. Snape might take us seriously, and McGonagall, Dumbledore not so much." Vicky replied, before doing a cartwheel down another corridor to their left.

"True. Then why did they make Potter a prefect? I mean, he can never stay out of trouble. Granger I can understand, maybe even Weasly. But not Potter." He said, then laughed as Vicky caught her foot in a rug and fell flat on her face. He helped her up, grinning.

"Why Mr Malfoy, how kind!" Vicky said, offering him her hand. He kissed it and Vicky felt her insides go funny. They went to jelly when he looked up at her.

"Any time, Miss Tupper, any time at all." He said, searching her face, for what he didn't know. A sign she felt the same perhaps?

Vicky blushed several shades of red as Draco looked at her.

"Um…p…perhaps we should go get a drink?" Vicky stammered, feeling a little uncomfortable. Draco nodded hesitantly.

"Yeah…um… I hear the house elves do excellent hot chocolate" he stammered, releasing Vicky's hand. They walked down to the kitchens. Was he about to kiss me? Vicky wondered, playing with her new necklace, which had been a strong pink all evening.

"Settle down class!" said Snape irritably. They were in Potions the following Thursday, and had finished their Prevention potions. Snape was now choosing people to test the potions.

"Let me think, let me think. Longbottom, you will test Finnegan and Thomas's potion. Granger, you will test Tupper and Malfoy's potion…" he said as he went round telling people whose potion to test. Hermione came over in a huff and snatched the vial from the table.

"Careful Granger, that may have side effects if you shake it too much. And we wouldn't want that to happen would we?" asked Draco, as Vicky made her way to Harry and Ron's table. Harry had a look on his face that could kill.

"If anything happens t me Potter, I will make you suffer." Vicky said, picking up the potion and walking back to her desk. She wouldn't drink it in front of Potter if she could help it. Vicky passed Hermione as they walked back to their desks and received a dirty look as she did so. "Stupid know it all show off." Vicky muttered as she reached Draco. He had Neville's potion, and was eyeing it with some apprehension.

For once, Neville had managed to get the potion right. It looked right, it smelled right and Vicky hoped to Merlin it acted right. It was going to take another week to brew a Releasing Potion, the counter draught to the Prevention Potion, and she didn't want Draco to have temporary amnesia during that time. All she hoped was that hers would block out the nightmares she'd been having since the previous weekend.

"Right class, now think of something you would rather not remember. Anything at all. Then swallow the potion in one. If done correctly, in an hour's time you will remember nothing of your chosen thought. If not, I do not know what the side effects will be." Snape said, a grim smile playing on his lips. He knew what Potter would not want to remember, even what Granger would not want to remember. But Draco, he was unsure of, and Vicky, well, he would hazard a guess at her parents, but could not be sure. He watched as the class downed their potions.

"Urgh, tastes like cardboard" Vicky said, as she downed the last drop. A cold shiver ran through her body, and an unearthly scream filled the room. Draco looked past Vicky to see Hermione writhing on the floor, her eyes rolled back in her head, the unearthly screaming coming from her. The Gryffindors were crowding round her, Harry and Ron on their knees trying to hold her still. The screaming stopped and she lay limp, her eyes opened warily. Vicky decided now was not the time to uphold a grudge, and moved to open the door for Harry, who had picked up Hermione and on Snapes orders, was taking her to the Hospital wing. Vicky racked her brain. The only time she'd left Draco alone was when he was adding the bicorn horn. That must be what had happened. Draco had put too much in, it was a key ingredient, too little would have no effect, too much a serious effect. Vicky shuddered to think how much Draco had put in. Harry carried her past, pausing to say, "If this has done any damage, I will make your life a living hell" in such vehemence that Vicky felt as if a bucket of boiling water had been poured over her. Pushing past Ron, who was about to go out, she ran from the class, and down to the Slytherin Common Room.

"Let me in Salazar, for I am a true Slytherin at heart!" she said, and the wall slid aside. Draco and the other prefects had specifically added this password to the current Slytherin password, solely for Vicky's use, two years ago. She stepped in as the bell went, and sank on to the comfy green leather sofa. Why she should be hurt by Harry's words she didn't know, it must be something to do with the potion. Vicky vaguely remembered something about it making people vulnerable. Draco came in through the portrait hole, and spotted Vicky at once, with her head in her hands, her blonde hair cascading down in front of her face. Draco's heart lurched as he saw a single, crystal tear drop to the floor, followed by a small sob. When he drank the Prevention Potion, he had forced himself to think of the feelings he had for Vicky, so that the potion would make him forget them. Longbottom can't have put enough golden syrup in, he mused, as he made his way over to the sofa and put his arm round her, pulling her sobbing body close to his.

"Shh, its ok, it wasn't your fault." He said, brushing the golden hair away from her face. Vicky sniffed and reached up a hand to brush back her hair, and accidentally grabbing Draco's in the process. Butterflies immediately took flight in her stomach, but she did not break away. Its not that I don't want to, she told herself, it's that I can't!

"Vicky, there's something I want to um…" he stammered, making the fatal mistake of looking in to her eyes. "I want to tell you…" he tried again, but couldn't get the words out, as he realised his head was inches from hers. As his hand reached out to brush away a stray strand of hair, Vicky felt trapped like a fox in the beam of a wand tip. But she didn't want to escape; she just wanted to stay there. She ignored the alarm bells in her head telling her to back away as his lips came in for the kill, softly, slowly kissing her, Vicky felt his hand run up in to her hair, the other around her back, holding her close.

Draco could feel her tense then relax under his lips as they kissed, felt her hands reach up and lock around his neck as she opened her mouth to allow her tongue furtive attempts to wet her dry lips, which Draco took full advantage of and deepened the kiss. He pulled her closer, wanting to continue kissing her forever, but he knew that could not happen. Breaking away, Draco found Vicky looking up at him with flushed, bright eyes that burned with love, and had a rough feeling he was looking at her the same way.

"Bravo! Encore!" came a loud voice, making Vicky and Draco leap apart as if they had been shot, which was followed by clapping from Blaise, Millicent, Natalie, Bethany, and several other members of the house. A sudden pounding of running feet up the nearby staircase told Draco that a certain someone was upset at what they had just witnessed, and Draco would bet his bottom Galleon that it was Pansy. Vicky had gone bright red. Blaise was staring at the staircase in a pained expression. He looked at Draco and a fission of understanding went between them. Blaise bounded after her, and disappeared out of sight. Millicent meanwhile, had shanghaied Vicky, and had dragged her off to a corner with the other girls. Draco sighed. The usual Slytherinette custom of telling the entire house who you kissed wasn't going to bug him this year. Because, whether he would admit it or not, everyone knew that he liked Vicky anyway. Now, he just had to try not to make it too obvious, as he was scared he would loose the friendship. Maybe he could blame it on the effects of the potion. He caught Vicky's eyes, and she blushed.

Blame it on the potion Vicky, she told herself. You didn't know what you were doing. _Oh yes you did you little liar_ said a voice in the back of Vicky's head. Well ok, maybe I did. But he doesn't have to know that, Vicky reasoned, as Draco was dragged away by Blaise and Theodore Nott to the boy's dorms.


	8. The Gryffindor turned Slytherin: Chapter...

**Chapter Eight: The Gryffindor Turned Slytherin.**

Vicky spent the next week and a half trying not to laugh around the Golden Trio. The Prevention Potion seemed to deprive Hermione of any knowledge that Ron existed. Vicky had been in the common room when Hermione came back from the hospital wing, Harry with her struggling under the weight of her satchel.

"Honestly Harry I'm fine" she said as she entered the portrait hole. Vicky kept the book in front of her face she had been reading, to hide the two love letters she had hidden within its pages. Her mind had been running over the events of the day before for almost an hour now, wondering if she could truly blame the potion for her heightened emotional state. Vicky looked up to see Hermione sit down, as Ron came down the boy's stairs.

"Hermione! You're ok!" he said, sitting next to her.

"Madam Pomfrey said I was fine, so don't panic…um….err…Sorry, but who are you?" she asked. Vicky tried to contain a burst of laughter.

"You do remember me don't you?" he asked, his brow furrowed in puzzlement. Hermione blushed and shook her head, her brows also furrowed.

"No, I…I don't have the faintest idea. I know you mean a lot to me but, I really don't know who you are."

"You remember me right Hermione?" asked Harry, now worried his friend had temporarily lost her marbles.

"Of course I do Harry! And that's Vicky, Malfoy's girlfriend, (Vicky blushed at this, and wished that were true) sat over there, but I don't know who you are." She said, turning to Ron.

"Ron Weasley. My name is Ron Weasley." He said, shifting in his seat to face her.

"Of course! I know why you're so important to me!" Hermione said, beaming.

"You…you do?" Ron asked, as if he didn't want to know the answer.

"Yes! You're my boyfriend!" she said, grasping his hand in hers. Ron went red to the tips of his ears, but the smile stayed on his face. Vicky forced the bubble of laughter back down her throat from where it came.

"Um, boyfriend?" he said, as Hermione positioned herself on his lap. She nodded, looking at him fondly. Ron looked back, utterly perplexed. Hermione ran her fingers through his hair.

"Yes, dear, my boyfriend. The one I will love until the day I die." Hermione smiled, and rested her head on his shoulder. She didn't see Ron's moth gape like a fish out of water.

"I love you Ron," she said, and promptly engaged him in a snog. Vicky could take no more, but shoved the book in her bag, and ran to find Draco and tell him before Transfiguration.

The Slytherin Common room howled with laughter that night as Vicky recalled it all.

"And then... and then she said, "I love you Ron!" and started snogging him!" Vicky said, her eyes wet with laughter. Blaise and Pansy were sat next to each other, Blaise holding his sides to try and keep his laughter from ripping them open, and Pansy had her hands over her mouth. Millicent was on the floor kicking her legs in the air, Theodore was bent double, and Natalie and Bethany were holding on to each other, trying to keep upright in their hysterics. Draco had Vicky sat on the arm of his chair, and he too had his arms round his sides.

"Oh Merlin that was funny. This week is going to be hilarious!" he said, and he was right. Harry had been ousted as his position of best friend in Ron's life dropped to number two, and Hermione was the only thing he had eyes for. The Slytherins, Vicky included, were fairly sure Christmas had come early.

"What's the matter Potter? Lost your friends?" they yelled, before collapsing into laughter as Harry passed them alone. Ron and Hermione were constantly found snogging, either in a secluded alcove, a quiet corner in the library, Vicky and Draco even walked in on them in the Room of Requirement, when Vicky and Draco decided to find a place away from the rest of the school to work.

"Poor little Potter, all lost and forlorn, doesn't know what to do as his friends are gone!" Taunted Vicky and Malfoy as they walked past on their way to lunch on the day before they were due to take the Releasing Potions. Harry looked as if he wanted to retort something, but just walked off.

"Know what? This past week and a half has been the best so far." Draco said happily. "And I really don't want it to end. But it will tomorrow." He said sadly. Their Releasing Potions were read to be drunk the following day, and Draco personally wanted to drop his potion down the drain. This week, he and Vicky had been closer than ever, that single kiss had been going round and round in his mind for at least an hour at a time, once or twice a day. Oh, how he would love to tell her the truth! But that would not happen, not until he was ready. But then again, would he ever be ready, he asked himself as they sat down to lunch.

"Right class, you must drink your potions as soon as they are ready. That is the reason I have had Professor Flitwick teach you the Cooling Charm. You have an hour to make the potion, and five minutes after that to drink it. The remaining method is on the board; the ingredients are in the cupboard. You may continue." Said Snape, before seating himself at the desk and marking the first year's homework.

"Draco, go get what we need from the cupboard while I make a start here." Vicky said, reluctant to leave Draco alone at the cauldron, in case of a repeat of Hermione's symptoms. That, and she really couldn't stop herself from staring at his bum when he walked away. Harry was working with Neville today, who had not once cowered under Snape's gaze since the start of term. Come to think of it, he was looking happier now than he had ever been, he ignored Snape's criticisms, he was more confident, and Vicky had heard tell he was getting private lessons from Madam Hooch on how to fly. Whatever you're doing Neville, its about time, she thought, as Draco returned with the ingredients.

An hour later, the Cooling Charms had been cast, and the class were scooping out glasses of the potion. Vicky looked at the cloudy blue potion, and grimaced.

"Cheers" said Draco, clinking his glass against hers, and they downed the potion in one. A hot flush swept over their bodies, and Vicky's legs gave way beneath her, as she saw the hooded figures return in front of her eyes. Draco noticed how pale she was, and grabbed her arm, as her legs gave way. He shook his father from his mind; Vicky's welfare was more important. At the back of the class, Hermione had gotten over the effects f the potion to find hers and Ron's hands clasped.

"Um, why are we holding hands Ron?" she said, trying not to show she was embarrassed.

"Long story Hermione." Said Harry as the bell rang for lunch.

September gave way to October, and while the Slytherins had planning to do, for Pansy's leaving party, the rest of the school was to pre-occupied with the upcoming Re-Sorting. There were whispers from all years floating about the corridors, about who would move houses, which would stay put. Vicky had a feeling a lot of the rumours were directed at her, but she ignored them. She was too busy getting supplies from the kitchens and Hogsmeade for Pansy's party on the seventh to take any notice.

Planning Pansy's party was actually more difficult than Vicky imagined. Trying to keep her occupied was Blaise's task, which he did very well, while everyone else rushed trying to get things sorted out. At last, it was ready, and the Slytherins lay in hiding waiting for Blaise and Pansy to come back from the library.

"Of course Blaise, but its a lot more difficult than that," said Pansy as she and Blaise stepped through the hole to the common room.

"I agree Pansy but think, wouldn't it be a lovely SURPRISE!" he yelled, with the rest of the house. Pansy jumped, screamed, and then hugged Millicent who had come up to hug her.

"This is all for me?" she asked, as people began to bombard her with gifts.

"All for you, Pansy!" Millicent yelled, and as music began to sound from somewhere, they began to dance and eat and enjoy themselves. Pansy looked like she was having the time of her life, Vicky thought, as she and Blaise whirled around the makeshift dance floor, which was really just the common room cleared of chairs.

"Draco, you know what would really make her day?" Vicky said, as she stole his Butterbeer from him.

"Oi! No, what would?" he asked. Vicky smiled.

"A kiss, from you. Even though I would be insanely jealous, but I think it would be the perfect gift." Vicky said. The jealous part wasn't entirely true; she said to herself, he had already kissed her. Draco groaned.

"Do I have to?" he asked, sounding like a little kid.

"Yes, you have to. Come on." Vicky said, and dragged him to the dance floor, where Draco found himself shoved in to Pansy's arms, and Vicky pulled Blaise away in to hers. She shot Pansy a wink as they began to dance to some 1950's rock and roll music. Vicky was in for quite a surprise, when she discovered that Blaise was a really good dancer n this area.

"Bloody hell Blaise!" she said, half laughing as he span her round his waist. "Where'd you learn to dance like this?"

"My mum's a very big fan of, it, I used to accompany her to competitions." He replied, twirling her in his hand, then throwing her up and catching her. The song finished, with Vicky and Blaise interlocked, and thoroughly worn out, to a round of applause from the crowd. Pansy looked like Christmas had come early when Draco took her to the floor for a slow dance. Vicky felt her heart ache for Draco as they kissed, and she ran to his dorm to cry. No one noticed she had gone.

Meanwhile, somewhere deep in the bowels of the Ministry of Magic, a man came walking out of an archway on a raised dais. He looked around carefully, before Apparating out of there to a point just outside Hogwarts school gates. The man

disappeared and a big black dog came in his place, and bounded up to the castle. He placed one heavy paw on the door, and pushed it open, before slipping through. He had to find Dumbledore, time was important, he thought to himself, as he made his way to the stone gargoyle.

Pansy left in the morning, and throughout that day Vicky felt nervous about the re-sorting the next day. What if she ended up being re sorted in to Hufflepuff? Or Ravenclaw? She would have no friends. And a lot of people disliked her anyway. And so it was with a heavy air she sat down at the Gryffindor table on the night of the ninth of October. The Sorting hat was brought out; many in sixth year staring at it like it had the plague. McGonagall stood next to it.

"I will read out the names in the following order. Slytherin to Gryffindor, Boys then Girls. If you are re- located to a different house, you will take a seat at the correct table, and collect your things after everyone has been sorted. Malfoy, Draco!" Said McGonagall, and Draco rose and swiftly made his way to the Sorting Hat, and jammed it on his head. He could hear its voice in its ear.

"My, my, we have changed over the past few years haven't we? Still very cunning, ruthless and determined, but you've softened a bit, Malfoy. Wouldn't have something to do with a girl would it? But no, you're not the one who's moving. You're staying in SLYTHERIN!" said the hat, yelling the last word to the hall. Draco removed the hat and breathed a sigh of relief. He grinned at Vicky as he made his way back to his seat.

And so it went on, as Vicky watched nervously. Time after time, people rose went up to be re-sorted, and returned to their houses. Her nerves became a mad thumping of her heart as the first Gryffindor boy was called.

"Finnegan, Seamus!" said McGonagall. Seamus swallowed visibly, and went to the stool. He sat there for a whole minute before the hat declared him still a Gryffindor. Neville was declared a Gryffindor almost immediately, his round face swelled with pride after a few seconds on the stool. He smiled as he brushed past Vicky, who had sat at the front of the table for once. Vicky watched intently as Harry Potter was called up to the stool. Vicky noticed the hat was mumbling to itself, and strained her ears to listen.

"Ah, Mr Potter! You could have been great in Slytherin; I stand by what I said. (Harry paled at this) Oh yes, I do mean it. Your ambition could have taken you just as far in this house, I have no doubts about that. Imagine it." Said the Hat. Harry's lips moved minutely, as he uttered, "There is nothing on this earth that would make me even consider being in Slytherin." His face was set, his lips thin. Vicky knew there and then Harry wasn't the one destined for another house. But, out of whoever was left, who was?

"Very well, you'd better stay in GRYFFINDOR!" The Hat yelled the entire last word to the Great Hall. An audible sigh came from the Gryffindor table as he made his way back, as Dean Thomas made his way up to the stool. Vicky allowed herself a sigh of relief. If they had gotten this far, then there weren't going to be any people swapping houses tonight. Vicky began to let her thoughts wander, her hand straying to the necklace that her secret admirer had sent her. Ron made his way up to the stool, and came back seconds later, the hat having declared him a solid Gryffindor.

Why did it glow pink near Draco? Maybe it glowed near any admirer, Vicky reasoned, as Lavender made her way to the stool. After five seconds under the hat, she was pronounced still a Gryffindor. All eyes were on Vicky, Parvati and Hermione now, the fifth Gryffindor girl had already taken her turn. Nerves flooded the pit of her stomach as Hermione was called up to the chair. She gave Vicky a weak smile as she climbed to the raised area. Right now, grudges against housemates meant sod all, as Vicky gave her a thumbs up. As with Harry, the hat muttered under its breath.

"Quite brainy aren't you? Would do _so_ well in Ravenclaw. So very well." Said the hat. Hermione gave the slightest of shakes of the head. "No? Not tempted at all? Well, I suppose I must honour your decision. GRYFFINDOR!" It shouted to the entire hall. Hermione rather shakily walked back to the Gryffindor table, and Vicky could have sworn she heard her say "Good Luck." As Parvati made her way up to the stool, Vicky stole a nervous glance at the rest of the school. Their eyes were on Parvati; well for the most part, as many kept flickering glances at Vicky. Draco on the Slytherin table was giving Vicky the thumbs up. The silence was almost unbearable, as the Sorting Hat remained silent for an entire two minutes. Vicky could hear no mumbling this time, but several times Parvati's face drained of its coulor.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the Hat, and Parvati looked like she was about to faint.

"Tupper, Victoria." Said McGonagall, and rolled up her piece of parchment. Vicky could feel the eyes of every student upon her as she took the ten second walk to the stool, which now seemed ten miles away. Weak at the knees, she eased herself on to the chair. The Sorting Hat was placed on top of her head, and Vicky shut her eyes against the sea of faces in front of her.

"Well what do we have here then?" said the Sorting Hat. Vicky felt like she was going to be sick.

"Yes, you're the one I've been looking for." Vicky's face drained of its coulor. "I really did put you in the wrong house didn't I? Yes, you have all the qualities that Godric liked in his students; even a few Rowena and Helga liked, and yes definitely Salazar. So where should I put you? I really cant put you back in Gryffindor I'm afraid. You really don't belong there. Ah yes, I see. You really belong in…" he said and paused. Vicky opened her eyes, and could see the entire hall staring at her with ill-disguised excitement. Vicky swallowed hard; even the teachers were waiting with baited breath. The hat drew a breath.

"SLYTHERIN!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Return of the Black

**Chapter Nine: Return of the Black**

There was an audible gasp from the hall. Vicky felt very weak, her face burned as people gazed at her in disbelief. She stood up, and after a small glance at the Gryffindor table, took the long walk to her new house.

"House Quidditch Trials will be held tomorrow, Hufflepuff in the morning, Ravenclaw at lunch, Gryffindor in the afternoon and Slytherin in the evening. And now, I think a little food is in order." Said Dumbledore, smiling. The hall descended in to chatter as the magical plates filled with food. People from all houses stared at Vicky as she kept her face hidden, wanting nothing more than to fade away.

"I'm not hungry. I'll catch you later." Vicky said to Draco, leaving her seat, and then walking out of the hall.

The buzz and chatter faded away as she went down to the same dungeon that had offered shelter when Harry had yelled at her. Once she reached the same corner where she had sunk to the floor and cried, she kicked a nearby crate in frustration. However, that did nothing except add a very painful big toe to her problem. After a full minute of hopping around on one foot and cursing with every profanity she could remember since she was a child, Vicky sat on an upturned crate, and began to think about the problem at hand. She now belonged to Slytherin house, and would be one of the most mistrusted people in the school. That was the cannon law. Why the Sorting Hat had picked her out of 79 other students she didn't know, but could only suppose it had its reasons. She now had to assert her identity as a true Slytherin, not as a house traitor. Of course, that would mean she could hang around with Draco freely now. And she could come and go as she pleased in the Slytherin Common Room.

"Bollocks! The password!" she exclaimed, realising she didn't know the common room password, which had undoubtedly been changed since her re-sorting. The only thing she could do was to go up to Gryffindor tower and get her things, then go to the Slytherin Common room, hoping someone was about so she could glean the password from them. Her own personal pass was useless now, as it had been designed for a non-Slytherin user. Now she was a Slytherin, she would not be able to get in using it.

"Reverence." Said Vicky, upon reaching the fat Lady.

"Ah hello dear. I wondered when you would come. I had to wait for you before I could change the password you see." She explained before swinging open. Stepping in to the common room she was greeted with a sudden hush. All eyes followed her as she went upstairs and threw her things in to her trunk, and shouldered her broom.

"Locomotor trunk." She whispered. It hovered above the floor and she directed it with her wand back down to the common room. People watched her pass in silence; she saw Harry, Ron and Hermione stare at her with distaste as she pushed open the common room door.

"Hey Tupper," she said, hearing a voice behind her. Turning she saw Harry had broken away from Ron and Hermione, and was holding out his hand to shake. "Good Luck" Vicky looked at the hand as if it was a poisonous snake.

"Up yours, Gryffindor." She snarled, and turned on her heel, walking out and slamming the portrait door on her old house.

"Let me in Salazar, for I am a true Slytherin at heart!" she said. The wall remained shut. Vicky cursed and lit her wand, as it was rather dark in the dungeons. While she thought about what to try next, footsteps came down the corridor. Vicky stood up, her wand at the ready. She was a Slytherin now. Unnecessary violence was the Slytherin talent. She raised her wand ready to fire a curse in that direction of the stranger, only to hear the curt voice of Professor Snape ring from the distant figure.

"Lower your wand, Vicky. The headmaster wants to talk to you. Follow me." He said, coming in to view

"But what about my trunk? And my broom?" she asked. Snape waved his wand, and they disappeared.

"They are in your dorm. The password for the common room is "Gryffindor turned Slytherin" Quite fitting, I'm sure you will agree. Now come. Draco is waiting for you." He smiled, and Vicky blushed in the dull light of the torches on the brackets.

"Ah, thank you, Severus. Our new Slytherinette." Said Dumbledore, smiling at Vicky as she and Snape entered. Vicky went over to Draco immediately, who was sat in a squashy chintz chair, looking very pale. She didn't see Harry, Ron and Hermione talking earnestly to a tall man with long black hair.

"Draco what is it? Are you alright?" she asked as Dumbledore came over.

"Miss Tupper, may I speak to you? Alone?" he asked. Vicky nodded, and they went out of the room, standing at the top of the stairs that led to his office.

"Miss Tupper, I have called you here because I nee your help. Firstly, to have Lucious Malfoy sentenced to death, and secondly, to help clear the name of Mr Sirius Black."

"But isn't he the one that tried to kill Harry?" she asked, aghast.

"That is the…public version, yes. The reality is that he was after someone else. You may remember Ron's rat, Scabbers?" he asked.

"Yes. Bloody thing bit…oh um sorry…it bit me enough times," she said sheepishly, ashamed of swearing in front of the headmaster.

"Not to worry, I have a kind of selective deafness when it comes to swear words. Anyway as I was saying. Scabbers turned out to be an Animagus by the name of Peter Pettigrew. As many are aware, Pettigrew cornered Black after the deaths of the Potters. He shouted for everyone to hear that Black had given them away. This was a clever ruse, for Black had insisted they use Pettigrew to hide the Potters whereabouts."

"The Fidelus Charm. And it was Peter, because I saw him! As a year old baby!" she exclaimed, fuming. Dumbledore nodded.

"Whatever your feeling towards Harry, will you help us by clearing Sirius's name?" he asked.

"Of course!" Vicky exclaimed. Dumbledore practically beamed.

"Excellent. There is one other thing though. We also need you to give evidence against Draco's father for your mother's murder. He will be drugged with Veritaserum, naturally, but the more evidence we have, the better the chance he will get his just punishment." Vicky looked down at her shoes. Her wand was shaking in her hand, and she felt suddenly afraid.

"I swear, no harm will come to you. Not if I, or Mr Malfoy, have anything to do with it. He wanted me to spare you this trouble, he really did. But there is no other way of securing his sentence." Dumbledore put a frail hand on Vicky's arm.

"I'll do it, sir." She whispered.

"Excellent! Now come on, back inside. Sirius will want to have a word with us all about how he came back from the dead." Vicky gaped as Dumbledore went back in to the room, but followed him anyway.

"Well it's weird really," said Sirius, as they were all seated around him. "When dearest Bella cut me down, as you know, I fell though the curtains of that veil. Suddenly, I found myself up against a panel of ghosts. No ordinary ghosts either. It was Merlin himself, with two of the four founders either side of him. I was terrified, even more so than when I was sent to Azkaban. They said my case wasn't quite ready for review yet, and that I could go and wait with my friends. "My friends?" I said, and I turned, and saw James and Lilly stood there, beaming at me, waving like mad. Several old school friends, my Uncle Alphard, loads of people who knew me and knew people I was close to were there. So I went to sit with them.

Your mum and dad, Harry, badgered me for every detail I could give them about you. They cried for a long time, and so did many of the others, ashamed that such a young kid should have to face such a burden. Then suddenly, I was summoned for my case to be reviewed.

When you die, your case is reviewed by the four founders, and they refer their findings to Merlin, who decides if you go to Heaven or Hell. But there are some cases where, no matter what, you simply won't be able to rest unless something you should have done in life is completed. It could be as easy as making a last dinner for someone, or in my case, clearing my name." Sirius explained.

"Didn't mum and dad fall in to that category?" demanded Harry.

"Well, the thing is, they did. But if your mum came back, you'd die because it's her protection keeping you alive. And if your dad came back, you'd still die, because his death gave your mum enough time to perform the charm that enables her sacrifice to protect you. Same with you, Vicky. If your parent's came back…you'd be Voldemort's daughter now. They wouldn't have been able to protect you." Said Sirius. Vicky shuddered at the thought, and Draco put his arm round her.

"So I've been given the chance to come back and clear my name. When everyone found out I was coming back, they gave me loads of letters to come back with. Erm, Harry, you might want to put a feather light charm on your lot. It's not just from your parents, but from hundreds of others, although your parent's is the longest. Hermione, you have some letters too. People have been watching you, most people up there thing you might be rivalling a certain Albus Dumbledore in terms of intellect." He said. Dumbledore chuckled, and Hermione went pink with pride.

"Draco, Ron, I've got a few for you. And Vicky…you might want to open yours in a more private place…" he said, with a wave of his wand. A large pile of letters appeared before him, and with a second wave, they dispersed to their addressee's. Vicky saw with increasing dismay two Howlers on top of her pile, with "_Daughter_" written in spiky, angry writing on top of one, and "_Niece_" on another.

"Oh no," she said staring at them.

"Don't worry, there's a freezing charm on them. They won't explode until you tap them with your wand." He said.

"Severus, please escort Vicky and Draco back to their common room. Harry, you Ron and Hermione were on night duty tonight, so you may do as you wish." Said Dumbledore, and numbly, Vicky scooped up her letters and followed Snape to their common room.

"I think my family may be angry with me," said Vicky quietly as they walked through the corridors.

"Why?" asked Draco as they turned in to the Great Hall.

"All…all my family have always been…"

"In Gryffindor" finished Snape. He turned to them as they passed the Slytherin table, and motioned for them to sit down. He waved his wand, and a bottle along with three glasses appeared before them. He poured a generous measure in each glass, and pushed one towards each student.

"Now, as unorthodox as it may seem, the most hated teacher in the school giving alcohol to students, it is high time we welcomed our newest member of the house to the fold. Welcome to Slytherin, Vicky." He said, and raised his glass. Vicky and Draco copied him, clinked their glasses together, and drank.

"We will need to change that," said Snape, tapping the Gryffindor Prefect Badge with his wand, and the lion disappeared, to be replaced by a twisting silver snake. "Tomorrow it is Saturday. I will pin a notice to the board in the common room saying that the common room has to be sprayed for…Chizpurfles, and no one is to enter for the duration of from second lesson to fourth. That should give you enough peace to get those Howlers sorted. The two of you, of course, will be staying behind to help with the de-infestation. You may recruit Zabini and Millicent to help…make it look authentic." Said Snape, tapping his fingers idly against the glass.

"Now off you go, it is almost nine and I'm sure the rest of Slytherin house is waiting to meet their newest arrival."

True to his word, the notice appeared, and the common room was deserted by the time Draco had been rudely awoken by Vicky jumping on his bed and clambering under the covers, making him thoroughly cold in the process.

"Urgh…five more minutes…" he groaned, rolling over. Vicky leant over and whispered in his ear, "I didn't know you slept in the nude, Draco,"

"Argh!" he shouted, sitting bolt upright and gathering the covers tightly about him. His shout had also awoken Zabini and Theodore, who were shocked to see Vicky in bed with Draco, and wondered why she had all her clothes on under the covers.

"Damn it, stop _doing_ that!" he snarled, turning round to face her. Vicky ducked her head in that annoying way of hers which threw him off guard.

"S-S-Sorry, Draco…" she said, before bursting in to tears and running from the room.

"Nice one Draco. Dick." Said Zabini, who threw on a dressing gown and went after Vicky.

"Now what did I do?" he shouted, rounding on Theodore.

"For fuck's sake, Malfoy, you really are a prick when it comes to girls!" he stormed.

"What? What the fuck do you mean?" he demanded as both boys threw on a dressing gown.

"IN CASE YOU HADN'T NOTICED, YOU'RE THE ONLY FUCKING FRIEND SHE HAS!" bellowed Theodore, before he charged past Draco and stormed downstairs. A horrible, cold realisation dawned on him just as slowly as if someone had cracked an egg on his head, and he began to slowly walk downstairs.

Vicky ran from the boys staircase, her eyes streaming with tears. All she had wanted was some comfort, from the one person she knew could definitely give it. She threw herself on the sofa, and buried her head in her arms. Footsteps and the sound of muffled voices followed her, and suddenly she felt someone sit on the edge of the sofa.

"Go away Draco!" came her muffled voice, but it wasn't Draco who answered.

"It's me Zabini. You ok?" he asked, resting a hand on her shoulder. Vicky nodded, as the words "FUCKING FRIEND" followed a few seconds later by footsteps came from the boys dorms.

"Fucking prick!" she sobbed, lifting her head up to wipe her eyes. "He's so blind!"

"Why's that?" asked Theodore, sitting on her other side. All she had wanted, ached for since kissing Draco outside the ice cream parlour, was for him to ask her out.

"I want to…you wouldn't under st-st-stand." She said wiping her eyes again.

"I think I do." Said Zabini. "You love him, don't you?" he asked. Vicky nodded, her eyes threatening to erupt with tears again. She felt a sag in the seat on her other side, and looked to see Theodore sat there, his arm on her shoulder in a consoling gesture.

"I l-l-love him, but he doesn't seem to know I exist in that way! Look, I've got to go…I want to get some practise…need to be ready for team tryouts this evening…" she stuttered, and summoning the letters and her broom from her dorm, she fled out of the door pretending to be a wall, and up to the Room of Requirement. A strangled choke of disbelief echoed across the common room, and Theodore and Zabini turned to see Draco, pale as a ghost, leaning against the staircase wall for support.

"Draco, what have you done?" said Zabini softly, shaking his head.

"You've got to help me to fix this!" he pleaded.

"There's nothing we can do, mate. This time, you're on your own." Said Theodore, as he and Zabini patted him on the shoulder on their way up to their dorm.


End file.
